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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. roll — a cake
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. march — music
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stock — shares
  12. roll — a list
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. deal — to handle
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. march — the month
  20. bulb — for light
  21. march — the month
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. kick — in football

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