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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: dip · saw · nail · pass · racket · wake · stock · press

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. saw — the tool
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. stock — goods
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. dip — to sink
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. press — to push
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. press — newspapers
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. wake — a trail
  24. saw — the tool

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