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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: lash · stock · cap · object · pit · fine · sharp · root

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. stock — goods
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. fine — all right
  6. pit — in a race
  7. object — a thing
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. cap — of ice
  10. fine — high quality
  11. root — of a plant
  12. cap — a lid
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. object — to protest
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. object — an aim
  17. root — the cause
  18. stock — shares
  19. cap — a hat
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. root — of a word
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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