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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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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: lash · pop · fork · stock · jam · rash · leaves · calf

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stock — goods
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. rash — a series
  14. pop — to visit
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. rash — hasty
  22. pop — music
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — an eyelash

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