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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: spring · lash · lie · deal · mark · stock · tear · safe

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. stock — shares
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. tear — from crying
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — the season
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. lie — to recline
  11. deal — to handle
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. mark — a trace
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. tear — from crying
  18. mark — a grade
  19. stock — goods
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. spring — of water

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