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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 120 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. bore — to tire
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. spring — the season
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. rest — what's left
  12. row — a line
  13. firm — decided
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. row — to paddle
  17. bore — to drill
  18. spring — a coil
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — shares
  24. spring — of water

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