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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. capital — money
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. stock — shares
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rash — hasty
  14. can — a tin
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. capital — a city
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. rash — a series

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