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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. stock — shares
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. pop — soda
  6. stock — goods
  7. staff — employees
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. staff — employees
  12. craft — boats
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rock — a stone
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. staff — a stick
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. rock — music
  20. pop — music
  21. craft — a skill
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stand — to bear

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