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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. net — for catching
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. net — in sport
  6. stock — shares
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. firm — decided
  9. suit — in cards
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. net — after costs
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. firm — steady
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock
  19. stock — goods
  20. key — in music
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. firm — a company
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. lash — an eyelash

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