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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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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: toast · bay · stock · lash · current · pit · file · jam

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. file — a line of people
  3. stock — shares
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. toast — bread
  12. current — happening now
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. current — of water
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. stock — goods
  21. file — a tool
  22. current — electric
  23. file — a document
  24. pit — a hole

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