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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: lash · chip · stock · calf · tear · perch · prune · wave

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. prune — to trim
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. tear — from crying
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. prune — to trim
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. tear — to rip
  11. tear — from crying
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. chip — to eat
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. stock — shares

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