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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: rash · suit · rock · stock · pop · lash · spring · wound

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pop — soda
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. wound — an injury
  7. stock — shares
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. wound — an injury
  11. spring — of water
  12. pop — to visit
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rash — a series
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. stock — goods
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. pop — music
  20. spring — the season
  21. suit — clothes
  22. spring — a coil
  23. suit — in cards
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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