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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stock · hide · clip · object · root · date · present · lash

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. object — to protest
  6. present — a gift
  7. date — the fruit
  8. stock — goods
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. root — the cause
  12. clip — a video
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. clip — to cut
  16. present — the time now
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. clip — for paper
  20. root — of a plant
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — a thing
  23. root — of a word
  24. stock — shares

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