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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. branch — a division
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. firm — decided
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. stock — shares
  13. club — a group
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. firm — a company
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. perch — the fish
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bear — the animal
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. firm — steady
  22. club — for golf
  23. club — for dancing
  24. stock — goods

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