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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · spell · pit · stock · wake · stick · march · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. spell — letters
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. spell — magic
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. march — the month
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. pit — a hole
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stock — goods
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. pit — in a race
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. march — the month
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wake — a trail
  21. firm — a company
  22. march — music
  23. stock — shares
  24. spell — a short time

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