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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 124 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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. toast — bread
  4. row — a line
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. stock — goods
  11. face — to point toward
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. face — to confront
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. stock — shares
  18. present — a gift
  19. face — part of the head
  20. vault — a safe
  21. row — to paddle
  22. present — there
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. present — the time now

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