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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. row — a line
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. fork — in a road
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. mug — a cup
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. snap — to click
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. mug — to rob
  16. stock — goods
  17. mug — a face
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. row — to paddle
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. stock — shares

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