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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: dip · rush · stock · mouse · craft · kick · prune · race

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. race — the arms race
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. race — a contest
  11. craft — boats
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. race — humankind
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. stock — goods
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. dip — to sink
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stock — shares
  21. craft — a skill
  22. kick — in football
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. craft — a handicraft

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