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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: racket · stock · lash · bank · cap · cabinet · saw · temple

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bank — for money
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — of ice
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bank — for money
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bank — of a river
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. stock — goods
  24. saw — the tool

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