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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 116 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. tear — from crying
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wake — a trail
  9. mark — a trace
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. tear — from crying
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. deal — to handle
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. stock — goods
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. stock — shares
  22. mark — a grade
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. tear — to rip

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