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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. stock — goods
  4. pound — a weight
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. craft — a skill
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — in sport
  9. tear — to rip
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. object — to protest
  13. stock — shares
  14. pit — in a race
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. object — an aim
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. tear — from crying
  22. object — a thing
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. pound — to hit hard

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