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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 120 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. swing — in golf
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. swing — to play on
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. stock — shares
  11. plane — a tool
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. perch — the fish
  19. staff — employees
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. swing — music
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. stock — goods

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