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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: lash · game · lean · rock · swing · nail · bowl · stock

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. game — a match
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stock — shares
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. swing — in golf
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. rock — a stone
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. swing — music
  15. lean — thin
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lean — to bend
  18. swing — to play on
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. rock — music
  24. lean — to rest against

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