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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 · lash · spell · spring · mark · stick · bound · game

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. spring — a coil
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. game — wild animals
  7. mark — a grade
  8. stock — goods
  9. spring — of water
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — letters
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. mark — a trace
  15. spring — the season
  16. bound — obliged
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. spell — a short time
  19. game — a match
  20. stock — shares
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bound — tied together

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