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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 · pitch · lash · craft · rock · file · suit · kick

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — music
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. file — a document
  8. kick — in football
  9. stock — goods
  10. file — a line of people
  11. suit — clothes
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stock — shares
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. suit — to fit
  21. file — a tool
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. rock — a stone
  24. pitch — completely

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