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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: stock · lie · spring · snap · row · clip · lash · nail

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. clip — a video
  3. spring — a coil
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stock — goods
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stock — shares
  12. snap — to click
  13. row — a line
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. clip — for paper
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. spring — of water
  19. clip — to cut
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. nail — for a hammer

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