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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. tube — the underground
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. stock — shares
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. stock — goods
  15. mine — for digging
  16. tube — a container
  17. lean — thin
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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