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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: cap · mug · stock · lean · spell · current · arm · lash

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a lid
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. lean — to bend
  9. mug — a face
  10. current — happening now
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. spell — letters
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. mug — a cup
  15. current — of water
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. stock — shares
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. spell — a short time
  20. current — electric
  21. stock — goods
  22. spell — magic
  23. cap — a hat
  24. stock — a soup base

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