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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. fall — the season
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. stock — shares
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bank — for money
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. fall — to drop
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — thin

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