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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. bear — the animal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bear — the animal
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stock — goods
  11. stand — to bear
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — shares
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. lash — to lash out

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