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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: stock · roll · rush · sharp · mouse · clip · lash · wave

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. sharp — clever
  7. roll — a cake
  8. clip — to cut
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. roll — a list
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. clip — a video
  14. clip — for paper
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. stock — goods
  21. rush — hurry
  22. stock — shares
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. lash — to lash out

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