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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. court — of law
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stock — shares
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. cap — a lid
  8. court — for sport
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. deal — to handle
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a hat
  18. stock — goods
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. court — of a king

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