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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. court — of a king
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. ground — a position
  8. stock — shares
  9. ground — the earth
  10. key — in music
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. key — for a lock
  14. court — of law
  15. stock — goods
  16. key — the most important part
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. mark — a grade
  20. court — for sport
  21. stem — to come from
  22. mark — a trace
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ground — crushed

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