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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
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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: mark · bore · squash · rush · cell · stock · lash · scale

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bore — to tire
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. mark — a trace
  6. squash — the sport
  7. cell — in biology
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. stock — shares
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bore — to drill
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — in music
  16. cell — a phone
  17. rush — hurry
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. stock — goods
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. squash — to crush
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. mark — a grade

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