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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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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: prune · stock · present · wake · can · lash · land · fine

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. can — to be able to
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. present — there
  5. prune — to trim
  6. can — a tin
  7. present — the time now
  8. land — ground
  9. prune — to trim
  10. wake — a trail
  11. stock — goods
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. fine — high quality
  14. present — a gift
  15. fine — all right
  16. land — to come down
  17. can — a tin
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — a soup base

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