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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. mug — a face
  5. stock — goods
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mate — to breed
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. game — wild animals
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mate — a partner
  15. staff — a stick
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stock — shares
  18. perch — the fish
  19. mug — a cup
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mug — to rob
  24. game — a match

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