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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 120 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. shower — rain
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stand — to bear
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stock — goods
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. shower — to wash
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. rush — hurry
  18. wake — a trail
  19. stock — shares
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the sport

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