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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. stock — shares
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. rush — hurry
  5. stock — goods
  6. pop — music
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pop — to visit
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. key — in music
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pop — soda
  24. key — for a lock

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