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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. net — for catching
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. saw — the tool
  9. net — in sport
  10. stock — goods
  11. scale — in music
  12. row — to paddle
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. mark — a trace
  15. saw — the tool
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. net — after costs
  19. row — a line
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. scale — size or range
  22. mark — a grade
  23. stock — shares
  24. mark — to pay attention

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