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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: squash · stock · lean · perch · pitcher · deal · kick · ball

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  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. deal — a big deal
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. ball — a great time
  6. stock — goods
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. lean — thin
  12. perch — the fish
  13. squash — the sport
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. lean — to bend
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. stock — shares
  22. kick — in football
  23. ball — a dance
  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