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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. land — a country
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — the season
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. rash — a series
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bear — the animal
  14. land — to come down
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — hasty
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — goods
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. safe — out of danger

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