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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 120 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. shower — rain
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. firm — steady
  7. race — humankind
  8. stock — shares
  9. shower — to wash
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. rock — a stone
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. rock — music
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. firm — a company
  17. stock — goods
  18. firm — decided
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. race — a contest
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. saw — the tool
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. stock — a soup base

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