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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. firm — decided
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pop — soda
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — a company
  9. pop — music
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. cap — of ice
  13. court — for sport
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stock — goods
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cap — a lid
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. court — of law
  21. pop — to visit
  22. court — of a king
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cap — a hat

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