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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: stock · charge · lash · firm · sharp · squash · file · board

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. stock — shares
  3. squash — to crush
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. sharp — clever
  6. file — a tool
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. firm — steady
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. board — a committee
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. squash — the sport
  16. file — a line of people
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. stock — goods
  19. charge — a price
  20. firm — decided
  21. charge — in control
  22. file — a document
  23. firm — a company
  24. charge — electricity

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