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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 112 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rest — what's left
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mark — a trace
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. cue — a signal
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a hint
  16. stock — shares
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. nail — on a finger

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