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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 116 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
468
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: leaves · season · track · rash · lash · stock · fan · lean

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — a series
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. season — in sport
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. rash — hasty
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. track — a song
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. season — of the year
  17. track — a path
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. stock — goods
  20. lean — to bend
  21. track — to keep track
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. lean — thin
  24. season — to add flavour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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