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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fine — all right
  9. ball — a dance
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stock — goods
  15. object — a thing
  16. ball — a great time
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. stock — shares
  19. object — an aim
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. fine — high quality
  23. object — to protest
  24. lash — an eyelash

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