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

Word bank: stock · kick · pit · firm · squash · lean · rule · jam

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. stock — shares
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. firm — steady
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. squash — to crush
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. squash — the sport
  11. firm — a company
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. firm — decided
  14. stock — goods
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. kick — in football
  17. pit — in a race
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to bend
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. rule — government
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. rule — a law

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