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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: suit · roll · race · shower · stock · mark · plane · lash

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. mark — a trace
  3. roll — a list
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. plane — a tool
  6. stock — shares
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. shower — to wash
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mark — a grade
  11. roll — a cake
  12. race — the arms race
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. race — humankind
  16. suit — clothes
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. shower — rain
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. suit — to fit
  23. stock — goods
  24. lash — an eyelash

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