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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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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: toast · ruler · wind · lash · stock · suit · clip · stand

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. stock — shares
  3. suit — in cards
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stand — to bear
  9. clip — to cut
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. stock — goods
  12. wind — moving air
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. wind — moving air
  15. clip — a video
  16. clip — for paper
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. toast — bread

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