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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: board · key · pitcher · ruler · sharp · spring · stock · nail

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. board — a committee
  6. stock — shares
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spring — the season
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — the most important part
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. key — in music
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. board — to get on
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. spring — of water

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