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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stock — shares
  5. mark — a trace
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. spell — letters
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. suit — in cards
  17. spell — a short time
  18. stock — goods
  19. spell — magic
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rash — a series
  24. rash — hasty

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