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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
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: lash · cold · stock · craft · can · file · root · rash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. cold — not warm
  3. craft — a skill
  4. file — a tool
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. craft — boats
  8. root — the cause
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rash — a series
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. file — a document
  13. root — of a plant
  14. can — a tin
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. file — a line of people
  19. cold — an illness
  20. can — a tin
  21. rash — hasty
  22. root — of a word
  23. stock — shares
  24. can — to be able to

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