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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 · row · hand · court · game · rush · stand · stock

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. game — a match
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. hand — help
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. rush — hurry
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. court — for sport
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — wild animals
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. court — of a king
  20. row — a line
  21. court — of law
  22. stand — to bear
  23. hand — in cards
  24. stand — for spectators

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