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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.

Make a worksheet

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: lash · current · stock · foot · nail · straw · present · toast

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. current — electric
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. foot — a measure
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. stock — goods
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. current — happening now
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — there
  18. stock — shares
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. present — a gift
  22. toast — bread
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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