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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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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: pound · stock · craft · tear · lash · object

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. object — a thing
  3. tear — from crying
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. tear — to rip
  7. pound — a weight
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. object — to protest
  10. stock — shares
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — boats
  16. object — an aim
  17. tear — from crying
  18. pound — to hit hard

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