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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.

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: root · hand · lash · rest · fan · stock · staff · stick

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. staff — a stick
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. hand — help
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. root — the cause
  10. hand — in cards
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. stock — shares
  14. staff — employees
  15. rest — a break
  16. staff — employees
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — of a plant
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fan — a supporter

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