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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
468
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: sharp · prune · track · stock · rule · racket · lash · temple

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. track — to keep track
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. prune — to trim
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. stock — shares
  16. rule — a law
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. track — a path
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rule — government
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. track — a song

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