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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stock — shares
  5. date — the fruit
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. pop — music
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bore — to drill
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stock — goods
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — to visit
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bore — to tire
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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