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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. stock — shares
  4. rash — a series
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. squash — the sport
  8. fine — all right
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. squash — to crush
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. mug — a face
  15. fine — high quality
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mug — a cup
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. mug — to rob
  21. rash — hasty
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. stock — goods

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