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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: stock · mark · ball · hand · nail · chip · wave · plane

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. hand — in cards
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. plane — a tool
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. ball — a great time
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — to eat
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. stock — shares
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. ball — a dance
  18. hand — help
  19. stock — goods
  20. mark — a trace
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. mark — a grade
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. wave — of the sea

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