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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 · stock · bat · row · current · staff · dip · arm

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. staff — employees
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a line
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. dip — to sink
  8. staff — employees
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. staff — a stick
  11. current — electric
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. current — happening now
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. stock — goods
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. current — of water
  21. stock — shares
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. dip — to dunk

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