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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. 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. stock — a soup base
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. roll — a list
  5. key — for a lock
  6. rush — hurry
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. key — in music
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. key — the most important part
  15. stock — shares
  16. roll — a cake
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. stock — goods
  22. foot — a measure
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. 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