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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. stock — goods
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. march — the month
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. charge — in control
  13. saw — the tool
  14. charge — a price
  15. fine — high quality
  16. charge — electricity
  17. march — the month
  18. can — a tin
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. march — music
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. fine — all right
  24. bark — of a tree

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