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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  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. craft — boats
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. swing — music
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. content — the amount
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. stock — shares
  14. swing — to play on
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. content — happy
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. craft — a skill
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. swing — in golf
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. trunk — of a car
  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