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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. suit — clothes
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. suit — to fit
  6. key — for a lock
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. craft — a skill
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. craft — boats
  12. key — in music
  13. stock — goods
  14. suit — in cards
  15. stock — shares
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. foot — a measure
  19. key — the most important part
  20. kid — to tease
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. kid — child
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. pitcher — a jug

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