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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. object — to protest
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. track — a song
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. rash — hasty
  9. track — a path
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. stock — shares
  14. rash — a series
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. toast — bread
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. object — an aim
  19. deal — to handle
  20. object — a thing
  21. track — to keep track
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. stock — goods

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