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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. can — a tin
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. stock — shares
  11. bass — the fish
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bass — low music
  14. can — to be able to
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. can — a tin
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. saw — the tool
  22. stock — goods
  23. branch — a division
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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