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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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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. stock — shares
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bear — the animal
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. stock — goods
  11. bear — the animal
  12. deal — to handle
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. wind — moving air
  17. file — a tool
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. file — a document
  23. wind — moving air
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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