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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 120 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 had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. suit — to fit
  3. march — the month
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. suit — in cards
  7. row — to paddle
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stand — to bear
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. march — the month
  15. row — a line
  16. stock — goods
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stock — shares
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. content — the amount
  21. content — happy
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. march — music
  24. lash — to lash out

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