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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pit — in a race
  5. fine — all right
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. stock — goods
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. foot — a measure
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — a hole
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. saw — the tool
  18. prune — to trim
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. saw — the tool
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. stock — shares
  24. fine — high quality

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