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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bear — the animal
  3. scale — size or range
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — in music
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. stock — goods
  17. bear — the animal
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. stock — shares
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. leaves — of a tree

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