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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 · rock · squash · object · deal · pass · lean · court

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. stock — goods
  4. squash — to crush
  5. lean — thin
  6. object — an aim
  7. pass — a permit
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. object — a thing
  12. stock — shares
  13. court — of a king
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. object — to protest
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. court — for sport
  20. lean — to bend
  21. court — of law
  22. squash — the sport
  23. deal — to handle
  24. pass — to succeed

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