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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. stock — goods
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. tear — from crying
  5. cap — a hat
  6. stock — shares
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. mark — a trace
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. cap — of ice
  14. date — the fruit
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. cap — a lid
  17. mark — a grade
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. tear — to rip
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bay — a horse colour

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