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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 120 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
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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: stand · lash · wind · stock · mug · firm · spell · perch

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. spell — magic
  3. firm — decided
  4. stock — shares
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. mug — to rob
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mug — a cup
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. wind — moving air
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. perch — the fish
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. mug — a face
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. firm — steady
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. stock — goods
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — letters
  22. firm — a company
  23. wind — moving air
  24. perch — for a bird

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