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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: hand · pass · stock · staff · ball · row · suit · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. row — to paddle
  3. suit — in cards
  4. hand — in cards
  5. ball — a dance
  6. suit — to fit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. ball — a great time
  9. stock — shares
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. row — a line
  13. hand — help
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. staff — a stick
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. suit — clothes
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pass — a permit
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. stock — goods

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