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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: mouse · lash · lie · coach · charge · stand · stock · prune

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. prune — to trim
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lie — to recline
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. charge — a price
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stock — goods
  14. stand — to bear
  15. charge — electricity
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. prune — to trim
  23. charge — in control
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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