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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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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 · season · leaves · lash · stick · stock · pitcher · nail

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. season — of the year
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. season — in sport
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. stock — goods
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — an eyelash
  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