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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pit — in a race
  5. current — happening now
  6. stock — goods
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. kid — to tease
  9. kid — child
  10. pit — a hole
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stock — shares
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. saw — the tool
  19. perch — the fish
  20. current — electric
  21. rest — a break
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. current — of water

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