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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. court — of a king
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. board — a committee
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pound — a weight
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stock — shares
  12. board — to get on
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. deal — to handle
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. court — of law
  20. court — for sport
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. stock — goods
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. plane — an aircraft

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