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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. stock — shares
  2. rest — what's left
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. rest — a break
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. scale — in music
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. rest — what's left
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mine — for digging
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stand — to bear
  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