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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. cue — a hint
  9. stock — goods
  10. cue — for pool
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — soda
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. stock — shares
  16. fork — in a road
  17. race — humankind
  18. shower — to wash
  19. shower — rain
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. race — a contest
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. pop — music

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