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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: craft · nail · bowl · wave · stock · pitch · toast · patient

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. craft — boats
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. stock — shares
  7. pitch — completely
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. craft — a skill
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. toast — bread
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. stock — goods

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