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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 116 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. stock — goods
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stock — shares
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. board — a committee
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. board — to get on
  9. fine — high quality
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. band — a music group
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fine — all right
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. band — a ring
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pit — a hole
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. nail — on a finger

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