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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · lash · suit · mouse · present · safe · straw · land

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stock — goods
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. suit — to fit
  7. land — ground
  8. suit — in cards
  9. present — there
  10. land — a country
  11. present — a gift
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. land — to come down
  16. suit — clothes
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. present — the time now
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. stock — shares
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. safe — out of danger

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