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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rash — hasty
  3. stock — goods
  4. suit — to fit
  5. spring — a coil
  6. date — the fruit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. ball — a dance
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. spring — of water
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. stock — shares
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. rash — a series
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. dip — to sink
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. spring — the season

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