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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. stock — goods
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mug — a cup
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. last — final
  9. last — to go on
  10. mug — a face
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chair — a leader
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bank — for money
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bank — of a river
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mug — to rob
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bank — for money

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