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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 · land · lash · track · roll · rock · wave · patient

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. track — a song
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. land — to come down
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. land — a country
  14. track — a path
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — a cake
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rock — music
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. track — to keep track
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. stock — goods
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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