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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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468
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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. kick — in football
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. stock — shares
  10. fine — all right
  11. object — a thing
  12. stock — goods
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the sport
  15. track — to keep track
  16. object — to protest
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. fine — high quality
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. track — a song
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. object — an aim
  24. kick — with a leg

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