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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. rock — a stone
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rock — music
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stock — shares
  12. lean — thin
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. squash — the sport
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. stock — goods
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. squash — to crush
  21. roll — a cake
  22. lean — to bend
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. roll — a list

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