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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · chair · suit · saw · rash · board · arm · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. board — a committee
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. stock — shares
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. stock — goods
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. board — to get on
  9. suit — to fit
  10. rash — hasty
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rash — a series
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. saw — the tool
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. suit — clothes
  21. chair — a leader
  22. suit — in cards
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. stock — a soup base

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