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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. tube — a container
  6. pass — a permit
  7. stock — shares
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. stock — goods
  11. ground — the earth
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. ground — a position
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bulb — for light
  16. tube — the underground
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. roll — a list
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. tube — in a tire

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