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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: stock · lash · cabinet · track · chip · ball · coach · rash

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. track — a path
  4. ball — a dance
  5. rash — hasty
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. ball — a great time
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. chip — for betting
  14. stock — goods
  15. track — a song
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rash — a series
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. track — to keep track
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. coach — a trainer

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