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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.

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 · present · game · fall · stock · dip · key · wave

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. dip — to sink
  3. fall — to drop
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. present — the time now
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. stock — goods
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. fall — the season
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. game — a match
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. present — a gift
  16. fall — to drop
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. key — for a lock
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. game — wild animals
  22. stock — shares
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — a sauce

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