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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — a hole
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. present — there
  7. spell — a short time
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pit — in a race
  12. present — a gift
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. stock — goods
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. spring — a coil
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spell — magic
  19. spell — letters
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. spring — of water
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. present — the time now
  24. stock — shares

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