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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. rock — a stone
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. firm — steady
  5. stock — goods
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. firm — a company
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. drill — the tool
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rock — music
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a skill
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stock — shares
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. firm — decided
  24. drill — army training

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