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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 · track · spell · nail · coach · stick · squash · patient

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. squash — the sport
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. spell — magic
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. squash — to crush
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. track — a song
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. track — to keep track
  17. spell — a short time
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. stock — goods
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. track — a path
  23. spell — letters
  24. nail — for a hammer

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