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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. mug — to rob
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — shares
  6. face — to point toward
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. mug — a cup
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rash — hasty
  12. face — to confront
  13. last — final
  14. firm — a company
  15. rash — a series
  16. firm — decided
  17. last — finally
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. firm — steady
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. last — to go on
  22. mug — a face
  23. face — part of the head
  24. lash — to lash out

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