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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: track · wound · rush · stock · lie · scale · lash · rest

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  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. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. wound — an injury
  5. scale — size or range
  6. scale — in music
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. wound — an injury
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. rest — a break
  12. stock — goods
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. stock — shares
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. track — to keep track
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rush — hurry
  20. track — a path
  21. track — a song
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. lash — an eyelash
  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