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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: squash · date · lean · mark · rash · stock · ball · pass

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. stock — shares
  5. rash — a series
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a trace
  8. pass — a permit
  9. date — the fruit
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. ball — a dance
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — to bend
  15. squash — to crush
  16. lean — thin
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. ball — a great time
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. stock — goods
  23. rash — hasty
  24. squash — the sport

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