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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. field — farmland
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. stock — goods
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. stock — shares
  10. can — to be able to
  11. firm — steady
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. field — for sport
  15. firm — a company
  16. field — a subject
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. firm — decided
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. mouse — 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