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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · leaves · court · straw · deal · saw · stock · snap

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. saw — the tool
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. court — of law
  8. stock — shares
  9. deal — to handle
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. firm — decided
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. court — for sport
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. snap — to click
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — steady
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. court — of a king

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com