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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: wake · fan · spell · can · kick · rock · stock · prune

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. spell — a short time
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stock — goods
  13. rock — a stone
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. stock — shares
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. kick — in football
  20. wake — a trail
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — magic
  23. rock — music
  24. can — a tin

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