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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: pound · temple · pitcher · rest · lash · arm · craft · stock

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rest — a break
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. stock — shares
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. rest — what's left
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — a skill
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rest — what's left
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — goods

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