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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: staff · lash · mouse · race · present · stock · face · spring

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. stock — shares
  5. spring — a coil
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. race — the arms race
  8. face — part of the head
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. present — the time now
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. staff — employees
  14. stock — goods
  15. present — there
  16. staff — employees
  17. race — humankind
  18. spring — of water
  19. face — to confront
  20. present — a gift
  21. race — a contest
  22. staff — a stick
  23. face — to point toward
  24. mouse — the animal

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