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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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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. shower — rain
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stock — shares
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. stock — goods
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. date — the fruit
  11. board — a committee
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. shower — to wash
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. board — to get on
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ruler — a monarch

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