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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. pit — in a race
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. perch — the fish
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pit — a hole
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — shares
  24. wave — of the sea

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