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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. row — to paddle
  4. stock — shares
  5. spell — a short time
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. rush — hurry
  8. can — to be able to
  9. spell — magic
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stock — goods
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. fork — in a road
  17. row — a line
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. spell — letters
  24. stock — a soup base

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