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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: squash · calf · lean · stock · cell · suit · mouse · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. lean — thin
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rash — hasty
  5. stock — goods
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. squash — the sport
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. squash — to crush
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. suit — in cards
  16. cell — in biology
  17. lean — to bend
  18. stock — shares
  19. suit — to fit
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. cell — a phone
  23. suit — clothes
  24. mouse — the animal

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