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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. stock — shares
  6. rule — government
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. stock — goods
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — a law
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. content — happy
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. wake — a trail
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. content — the amount
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. straw — dry grass

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