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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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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: lash · stock · stand · chip · leaves · land · rest · fall

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. land — to come down
  5. fall — the season
  6. land — a country
  7. fall — to drop
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. stand — to bear
  10. fall — to drop
  11. land — ground
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rest — a break
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. chip — to eat
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. chip — for betting
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. stock — shares

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