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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.

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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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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 · wave · racket · lie · rest · lash · fine · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rest — what's left
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. stock — shares
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. stock — goods
  17. fine — high quality
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. rest — a break
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. lash — to lash out

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