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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. current — electric
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — shares
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. stock — goods
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for dancing
  15. pitch — completely
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. current — of water
  20. club — for golf
  21. current — happening now
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mouse — the animal

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