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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 116 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. stock — shares
  3. file — a tool
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. suit — in cards
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. stand — to bear
  10. craft — boats
  11. file — a line of people
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. suit — clothes
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stock — goods
  20. file — a document
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. craft — a skill
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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