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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: pass · lash · craft · stock · band · bark · object · deal

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. deal — to handle
  3. craft — boats
  4. band — a ring
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. stock — goods
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. band — a music group
  12. stock — shares
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — to protest
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bark — to shout
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. craft — a skill

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