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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 116 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: wave · rock · lash · perch · lie · key · stock · row

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. perch — the fish
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. key — for a lock
  7. rock — music
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rock — a stone
  10. key — the most important part
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. lie — to recline
  15. key — in music
  16. row — a line
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. row — to paddle
  24. stock — shares

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