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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stock — shares
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. chip — to eat
  8. deal — to handle
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. wound — an injury
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. prune — to trim
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. wound — an injury
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. chip — for betting
  22. stock — goods
  23. ball — a dance
  24. lash — an eyelash

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