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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: key · nail · rush · dip · staff · firm · stock · fork

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. stock — shares
  3. staff — a stick
  4. key — for a lock
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. key — the most important part
  7. firm — steady
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. staff — employees
  11. dip — to sink
  12. fork — in a road
  13. staff — employees
  14. key — in music
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rush — hurry
  19. stock — goods
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. firm — a company
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. firm — decided

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