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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. stock — shares
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. press — newspapers
  6. snap — to click
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rash — a series
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. rock — music
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. stock — goods
  15. press — to push
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. press — a publisher
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. lash — an eyelash

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