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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  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. date — the fruit
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. wake — a trail
  5. rush — hurry
  6. row — to paddle
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. stock — shares
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. toast — bread
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. row — a line
  23. wake — before a funeral
  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