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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. stock — shares
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. mark — a trace
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. cell — a phone
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mark — a grade
  9. stock — goods
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. cell — in biology
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — of the sea

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