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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stock — shares
  4. rest — a break
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. stock — goods
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. chip — to eat
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chip — for betting
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ruler — for measuring

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