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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bore — to drill
  3. mate — a friend
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. mate — a partner
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. court — of a king
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. stock — shares
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. court — of law
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bat — the animal
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. court — for sport
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bore — to tire
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. mate — to breed

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