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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 120 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: object · lash · fork · stock · tube · key · rock · mouse

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. rock — music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. object — to protest
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. object — a thing
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. tube — the underground
  10. stock — shares
  11. fork — in a road
  12. key — in music
  13. object — an aim
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rock — a stone
  17. stock — goods
  18. key — the most important part
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. key — for a lock
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — a garden tool

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