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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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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: fine · lash · mark · current · bass · spring · stock · prune

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. current — happening now
  3. prune — to trim
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. current — electric
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. fine — all right
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. stock — shares
  10. spring — the season
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bass — low music
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bass — the fish
  15. prune — to trim
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. current — of water
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. spring — of water
  23. stock — goods
  24. spring — a coil

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