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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.

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: stock · bowl · safe · lash · snap · rash · hide · fan

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. snap — to click
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stock — shares
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stock — goods
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. rash — hasty
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. rash — a series
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. lash — an eyelash

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