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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stock — goods
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — low music
  7. net — for catching
  8. net — after costs
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bass — the fish
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. stock — shares
  14. stand — to bear
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. net — in sport
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wake — before a funeral

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