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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. tube — the underground
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. club — for dancing
  6. stock — goods
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. club — for golf
  9. bank — for money
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. spring — of water
  13. stock — shares
  14. bank — of a river
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. tube — a container
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. spring — a coil
  20. bank — for money
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. object — to protest
  23. club — a group
  24. spring — the season

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