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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 120 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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. stock — shares
  4. field — for sport
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. suit — clothes
  7. face — to confront
  8. field — farmland
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. face — to point toward
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. suit — in cards
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. stock — goods
  19. swing — music
  20. suit — to fit
  21. swing — in golf
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. face — part of the head
  24. field — a subject

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