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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: rush · pound · lie · stock · foot · bat · squash · racket

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bat — the animal
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the sport
  13. stock — goods
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. stock — shares
  18. lie — to recline
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. pound — a weight
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. racket — for tennis

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