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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 120 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. key — in music
  4. key — for a lock
  5. rest — a break
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. rush — hurry
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. chip — for betting
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. stock — shares
  19. bear — the animal
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. key — the most important part
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — goods

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