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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. tube — a container
  3. stock — goods
  4. tube — the underground
  5. stock — shares
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. swing — music
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. charge — electricity
  18. swing — in golf
  19. swing — to play on
  20. staff — a stick
  21. charge — in control
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. charge — a price
  24. temple — a place of worship

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