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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 116 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  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. can — a tin
  2. dip — to sink
  3. swing — music
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. stock — goods
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. staff — employees
  9. swing — to play on
  10. can — to be able to
  11. kick — in football
  12. bore — to tire
  13. staff — employees
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bore — to drill
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. can — a tin
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. stock — shares
  23. staff — a stick
  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