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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mug · lash · cabinet · stock · bear · ruler · kid · spell

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — a short time
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stock — goods
  6. mug — a face
  7. spell — letters
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. kid — child
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mug — to rob
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mug — a cup
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. ruler — a monarch

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