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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: straw · lean · suit · toast · patient · lash · rest · stock

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. stock — goods
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. lean — thin
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. suit — in cards
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stock — shares
  22. rest — what's left
  23. toast — bread
  24. lean — to bend

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