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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lean — to bend
  7. mark — a grade
  8. stock — goods
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. wake — a trail
  12. file — a tool
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. file — a document
  16. stock — shares
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. lean — thin
  20. mark — a trace
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. mark — to pay attention

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