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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 120 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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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: mate · wave · stock · lash · root · craft · mark · rule

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. mate — a partner
  3. craft — boats
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. craft — a skill
  7. rule — a law
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. stock — goods
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. mate — to breed
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. mate — a friend
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. mark — a grade
  17. root — the cause
  18. stock — shares
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mark — a trace
  22. rule — government
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. lash — to lash out

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