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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: squash · stock · lash · drill · pitcher · dip · pop · lean

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. squash — the sport
  3. drill — army training
  4. lean — to bend
  5. pop — soda
  6. stock — shares
  7. drill — the tool
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. dip — to sink
  12. squash — to crush
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. drill — a practice
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. lean — thin
  19. pop — music
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. stock — goods
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. stock — a soup base

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