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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 124 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. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. stock — goods
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. present — a gift
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stock — shares
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. season — in sport
  10. degree — an amount
  11. degree — temperature
  12. season — of the year
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — a company
  16. present — the time now
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. present — there
  21. can — a tin
  22. firm — steady
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. season — to add flavour

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