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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 120 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: fork · lash · stock · spell · cap · lie · pit · root

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. spell — a short time
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. spell — magic
  5. root — of a word
  6. cap — of ice
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. pit — in a race
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lie — to recline
  12. cap — a hat
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. root — the cause
  16. stock — shares
  17. cap — a lid
  18. spell — letters
  19. fork — in a road
  20. pit — a hole
  21. root — of a plant
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. stock — goods

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