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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: rash · suit · stock · mouse · lash · fan · plane · prune

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. stock — goods
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. suit — to fit
  16. plane — a tool
  17. suit — clothes
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. rash — a series
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. rash — hasty
  22. suit — in cards
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. plane — in geometry

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