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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: pit · root · swing · mug · cabinet · lash · stock · wind

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. mug — to rob
  3. swing — music
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. root — of a word
  7. stock — shares
  8. pit — a hole
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. mug — a face
  11. stock — goods
  12. swing — in golf
  13. root — of a plant
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. root — the cause
  16. mug — a cup
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wind — moving air
  20. swing — to play on
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. wind — moving air
  24. pit — in a race

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