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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 116 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: tear · nail · saw · can · dip · lash · stock · spell

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stock — goods
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. spell — magic
  6. dip — to sink
  7. tear — from crying
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. spell — letters
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. spell — a short time
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. stock — shares
  20. can — a tin
  21. saw — the tool
  22. can — to be able to
  23. tear — from crying
  24. can — a tin

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