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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. stock — goods
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. content — happy
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. content — the amount
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. mark — a trace
  16. stock — shares
  17. stem — to come from
  18. firm — decided
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. firm — steady
  24. wake — a trail

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