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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. spell — letters
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. kid — to tease
  6. suit — clothes
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stock — goods
  12. bass — the fish
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. spell — magic
  17. kid — child
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bass — low music
  21. stock — shares
  22. spell — a short time
  23. suit — to fit
  24. stock — a soup base

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