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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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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: calf · pit · prune · stock · bass · lash · can · lean

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bass — low music
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. prune — to trim
  6. lean — thin
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. can — a tin
  9. stock — shares
  10. can — a tin
  11. prune — to trim
  12. can — to be able to
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bass — the fish
  20. stock — goods
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pit — a hole

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