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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. stock — shares
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. wound — an injury
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. rash — hasty
  9. wound — an injury
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. roll — a cake
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. roll — a list
  15. lean — thin
  16. craft — a skill
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. lean — to bend
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — goods
  24. craft — boats

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