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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. lean — thin
  3. bore — to tire
  4. lean — to bend
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — goods
  7. rest — a break
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. face — to confront
  10. mug — to rob
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — part of the head
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. mug — a face
  19. bore — to drill
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rest — what's left

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