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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.

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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: fork · club · rest · stock · nail · current · cue · lash

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. rest — a break
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. current — happening now
  5. stock — goods
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for golf
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. club — for dancing
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. stock — shares
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cue — for pool
  16. current — of water
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. current — electric
  19. cue — a signal
  20. fork — in a road
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rest — what's left
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cue — a hint

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