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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: dip · craft · rock · deal · lash · stock · race · nail

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. stock — shares
  4. craft — boats
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. stock — goods
  9. craft — a skill
  10. race — humankind
  11. race — the arms race
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. dip — to sink
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. rock — a stone
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rock — music
  21. race — a contest
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. deal — to handle

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