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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.

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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. stock — goods
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. fall — the season
  6. stock — shares
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — to bear
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. ball — a dance
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. chair — a leader
  18. fall — to drop
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. season — of the year
  22. ball — a great time
  23. season — in sport
  24. ball — a round shape

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