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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · ball · bay · rest · racket · stand · stock · bulb

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. rest — what's left
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bulb — for light
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rest — a break
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stock — goods
  12. bulb — for light
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. ball — a great time
  22. stand — to bear
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stock — shares

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