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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 116 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. object — to protest
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stock — goods
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. key — the most important part
  12. stock — shares
  13. key — for a lock
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. object — a thing
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. key — in music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. wake — a trail
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. ball — a great time

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