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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 116 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: lash · tube · fall · current · lie · season · stock · rule

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. current — of water
  3. season — of the year
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. fall — the season
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — a container
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stock — shares
  12. rule — government
  13. season — in sport
  14. rule — a law
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — goods
  17. fall — to drop
  18. current — electric
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. current — happening now

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