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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  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. lash — an eyelash
  2. stock — goods
  3. fork — in a road
  4. swing — in golf
  5. rush — hurry
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. capital — money
  15. capital — a city
  16. ball — a dance
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — to play on
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. stock — shares
  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