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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 120 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: spring · key · bay · straw · lash · stock · craft · mug

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. stock — goods
  3. mug — a cup
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. craft — boats
  7. mug — to rob
  8. key — for a lock
  9. stock — shares
  10. key — the most important part
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. spring — of water
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. spring — the season
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. spring — a coil
  21. mug — a face
  22. key — in music
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. craft — a skill

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