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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.

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: stock · current · scale · lash · fan · hide · stick · stand

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. current — happening now
  3. scale — size or range
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stand — to bear
  6. scale — in music
  7. current — of water
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. stock — shares
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stock — goods
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. current — electric
  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