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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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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. stock — goods
  4. firm — decided
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. rock — a stone
  8. court — of a king
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. cue — a signal
  11. stock — shares
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. firm — steady
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. court — of law
  17. snap — to click
  18. cue — a hint
  19. rock — music
  20. cue — for pool
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. firm — a company
  24. court — for sport

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