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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stock — goods
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. ground — a position
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. tube — the underground
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bulb — for light
  10. squash — to crush
  11. ground — the earth
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. tube — a container
  14. bulb — for light
  15. ground — crushed
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  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