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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — shares
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. rock — music
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. wax — to grow
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pitch — completely
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bear — the animal

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