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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 116 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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. charge — electricity
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ball — a great time
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stock — shares
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. firm — decided
  12. charge — a price
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. firm — steady
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. kid — child
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. firm — a company
  22. stock — goods
  23. kid — to tease
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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