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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: stock · band · arm · dip · lash · bear · key · stick

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. stock — shares
  4. key — the most important part
  5. band — a ring
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. key — for a lock
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a music group
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. key — in music
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stock — goods
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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