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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. fall — to drop
  3. stock — shares
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. rest — a break
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — to eat
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. fall — the season
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. mate — a friend
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. mate — a partner
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rock — music
  23. stock — goods
  24. chip — for betting

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