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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: lash · lean · pit · sharp · stock · bear · content · bowl

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pit — in a race
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — shares
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. sharp — clever
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. content — the amount
  18. lean — thin
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. content — happy
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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