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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. ball — a great time
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stock — goods
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — music
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stock — shares
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pop — to visit
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. ball — a dance
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pop — soda
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. pop — music
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — to lash out

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