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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 116 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. stock — shares
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stock — goods
  6. object — to protest
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. object — a thing
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. mug — a face
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. object — an aim
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. wake — a trail

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