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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rest — a break
  5. stock — goods
  6. bass — the fish
  7. stock — shares
  8. staff — employees
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bass — low music
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. band — a music group
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. staff — employees
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. nail — on a finger
  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