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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: dip · lash · stand · deal · spring · face · foot · stock

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. stock — shares
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. spring — a coil
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. spring — of water
  7. spring — the season
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. face — to confront
  14. foot — a measure
  15. deal — to handle
  16. face — part of the head
  17. stock — goods
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. face — to point toward
  22. dip — to sink
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. foot — the bottom

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