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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
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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: stick · stock · wake · toast · lash · game · net · pit

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. net — for catching
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. game — a match
  5. pit — in a race
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. wake — a trail
  8. net — after costs
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. net — in sport
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. stock — goods
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. pit — a hole
  18. toast — bread
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stock — shares
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a kind of play

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