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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.

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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: stock · bat · lash · squash · rule · coach · toast · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. stock — shares
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bat — the animal
  7. rule — a law
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stock — goods
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. rule — government
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. toast — bread
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. squash — to crush
  22. rush — hurry
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — the sport

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