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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. staff — employees
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stock — shares
  8. sharp — clever
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a path
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. staff — employees
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bear — the animal
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. track — a song
  23. bear — the animal
  24. staff — a stick

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