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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: leaves · stock · rock · pitcher · bulb · race · fine · lash

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. stock — goods
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. race — a contest
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — music
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. stock — shares
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. fine — all right
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. race — humankind
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. race — the arms race
  24. lash — an eyelash

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