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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 120 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: temple · dip · stick · kid · rush · stock · fall · object

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. object — to protest
  7. kid — child
  8. fall — to drop
  9. rush — hurry
  10. kid — to tease
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. stock — goods
  14. dip — to sink
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. object — an aim
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. object — a thing
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. fall — the season
  23. stock — shares
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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