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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. stock — shares
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rock — a stone
  7. charge — in control
  8. stock — goods
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stand — to bear
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rock — music
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. charge — a price

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