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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 116 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: row · stock · leaves · straw · nail · lean · lash · pass

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stock — goods
  8. row — a line
  9. lean — thin
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pass — a permit
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. stock — shares
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. row — to paddle
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pass — to spend time

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