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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 116 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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Word bank
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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bark — to shout
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. key — in music
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. swing — to play on
  13. key — for a lock
  14. scale — in music
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. stock — shares
  19. swing — music
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. scale — size or range
  22. key — the most important part
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. swing — in golf

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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