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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: prune · stock · mouse · lash · calf · cabinet · mine · face

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. stock — shares
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stock — goods
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. face — to point toward
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. face — to confront
  21. prune — to trim
  22. face — part of the head
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. mine — for digging

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