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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. cell — in biology
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. rest — a break
  8. stock — shares
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. staff — employees
  11. stock — goods
  12. rest — what's left
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cell — a phone
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. rest — what's left
  18. date — the fruit
  19. staff — employees
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. staff — a stick

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