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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. pit — in a race
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. hand — in cards
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — a container
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. deal — to handle
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. squash — the sport
  16. hand — help
  17. stock — shares
  18. squash — to crush
  19. stock — goods
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pit — a hole
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — to lash out

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