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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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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: wake · nail · rock · mug · straw · saw · stock · pound

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. stock — shares
  8. wake — a trail
  9. stock — goods
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. pound — a weight
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. rock — a stone
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — a cup
  21. rock — music
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mug — to rob
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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