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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: saw · date · roll · stock · arm · mark · lash · bay

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. mark — a grade
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stock — shares
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stock — goods
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. mark — a trace
  21. roll — a list
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. saw — the tool
  24. date — the fruit

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