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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. tube — a container
  6. bear — the animal
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. stock — goods
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. capital — money
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. capital — a city
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. prune — to trim
  23. tube — the underground
  24. stock — shares

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