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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. club — a group
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stock — shares
  5. club — for golf
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. squash — the sport
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — goods
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. club — for dancing
  20. squash — to crush
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — the earth
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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