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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. stock — goods
  6. capital — money
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. squash — the sport
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. can — a tin
  13. squash — to crush
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. capital — a city
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bear — the animal
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bear — the animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mine — for digging

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