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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — goods
  10. roll — a list
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. board — a committee
  15. rash — a series
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. fine — all right
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rush — hurry
  21. fine — high quality
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. roll — a cake
  24. rush — a thrill

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