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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. cell — in biology
  3. stock — goods
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. stock — shares
  7. rock — a stone
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. race — humankind
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. race — the arms race
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bound — certain
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. fork — in a road
  19. race — a contest
  20. bound — obliged
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. cell — a phone
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. rock — music

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