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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mug · craft · stock · mine · racket · lash · file · leaves

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mine — for digging
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. stock — goods
  6. file — a tool
  7. stock — shares
  8. file — a line of people
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. mug — a cup
  11. craft — a skill
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. mug — to rob
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. craft — boats
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mug — a face
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. file — a document

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