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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. content — happy
  4. track — a song
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. track — to keep track
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — a weight
  14. stock — goods
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. content — the amount
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. track — a path
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stock — shares
  24. leaves — to go away

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