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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: stock · shower · deal · current · bound · leaves · nail · stick

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bound — tied together
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. stock — goods
  13. shower — to wash
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. current — happening now
  17. stock — shares
  18. current — of water
  19. deal — to handle
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. bound — obliged
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. current — electric
  24. bound — certain

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