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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. mate — to breed
  20. stock — goods
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bear — the animal

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