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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. stock — goods
  3. firm — a company
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. tube — a container
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. net — after costs
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. tube — the underground
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. net — in sport
  16. firm — decided
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. stock — shares
  22. firm — steady
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. tube — in a tire

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