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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. snap — to click
  8. chest — of your body
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. craft — a skill
  11. stock — shares
  12. kick — in football
  13. pound — a weight
  14. rock — a stone
  15. chest — a box
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. stock — goods
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. craft — boats
  22. chest — of your body
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. rock — music

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