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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: lash · fan · pass · pitcher · arm · firm · stock · bank

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. stock — shares
  3. firm — steady
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — a permit
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bank — for money
  17. stock — goods
  18. bank — for money
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. firm — decided
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. firm — a company

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