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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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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: lie · prune · fall · nail · stock · lash · pound · swing

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. fall — to drop
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pound — a weight
  11. stock — goods
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. prune — to trim
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fall — the season
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. prune — to trim

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