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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: arm · current · face · stock · rash · track · lash · nail

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. track — a path
  3. stock — shares
  4. face — to point toward
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. face — to confront
  11. current — electric
  12. face — part of the head
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. rash — hasty
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. stock — goods
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. rash — a series
  23. track — to keep track
  24. arm — part of the body

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