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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 120 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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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: fan · nail · cabinet · rush · stock · track · cap · mark

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rush — hurry
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. track — a song
  7. stock — goods
  8. cap — a lid
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. stock — shares
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cap — of ice
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. track — to keep track
  17. cap — a hat
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. track — a path
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — a grade

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