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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. stock — goods
  3. lean — thin
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. spell — magic
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bark — to shout
  15. mark — a grade
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. can — to be able to
  18. spell — letters
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. can — a tin
  21. spell — a short time
  22. can — a tin
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. lash — an eyelash

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