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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: file · object · suit · rock · nail · stock · court · root

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. court — for sport
  4. rock — music
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stock — shares
  7. object — to protest
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. file — a tool
  10. object — a thing
  11. stock — goods
  12. root — of a plant
  13. suit — clothes
  14. root — the cause
  15. court — of a king
  16. rock — a stone
  17. court — of law
  18. file — a line of people
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. object — an aim
  21. file — a document
  22. root — of a word
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — in cards

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