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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: pitcher · pitch · stock · lash · current · stick · staff · wind

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pitch — completely
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stock — goods
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. wind — moving air
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — of water
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. current — electric
  24. wind — moving air

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