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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: stock · last · current · lash · spell · pitcher · pound · toast

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. stock — goods
  6. last — final
  7. toast — bread
  8. last — to go on
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. stock — shares
  11. current — happening now
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. spell — magic
  16. last — finally
  17. current — electric
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. spell — a short time
  21. pound — a weight
  22. current — of water
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. lash — to lash out

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