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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: mark · rock · lean · stock · prune · ground · lash · hide

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. rock — a stone
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lean — to bend
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. rock — music
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. lean — thin
  14. stock — goods
  15. ground — a position
  16. mark — a trace
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. stock — shares
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. ground — crushed
  21. mark — a grade
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. prune — to trim
  24. ground — the earth

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