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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. mug — a face
  6. track — a path
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mug — to rob
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. deal — to handle
  12. track — to keep track
  13. sharp — clever
  14. stock — shares
  15. perch — the fish
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. mug — a cup
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. track — a song
  21. stock — goods
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. lash — an eyelash

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