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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 · snap · rock · calf · arm · key · rash

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  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. stock — goods
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — for a lock
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — a series
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. rock — music
  9. prune — to trim
  10. snap — to click
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rock — a stone
  17. stock — shares
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. key — in music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rash — hasty
  23. arm — part of the body
  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