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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 · stick · lash · firm · leaves · current · dip · scale

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. current — happening now
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. firm — decided
  10. stock — shares
  11. scale — in music
  12. stock — goods
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. scale — size or range
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. current — electric
  20. firm — a company
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. current — of water
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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