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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 116 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: hide · ruler · stock · nail · racket · bound · fine · row

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fine — high quality
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bound — tied together
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. stock — goods
  10. fine — all right
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. row — a line
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — certain
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. row — to paddle
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. stock — shares

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