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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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Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. squash — the sport
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. spell — magic
  11. stock — goods
  12. spell — a short time
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stock — shares
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. fine — all right
  20. squash — to crush
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fine — high quality
  24. spell — letters

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