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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. stock — goods
  4. suit — to fit
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. row — a line
  8. current — electric
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. stock — shares
  11. current — happening now
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. suit — clothes
  16. row — to paddle
  17. sharp — clever
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. suit — in cards
  21. current — of water
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. racket — a loud noise

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