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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lash · lie · board · bass · stand · safe · stock · kick

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stock — goods
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lie — to recline
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. board — a committee
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bass — the fish
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. board — to get on
  20. bass — low music
  21. stand — to bear
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. board — a flat piece

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