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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: craft · wave · drill · stock · nail · tube · foot · squash

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. foot — a measure
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. drill — a practice
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. tube — a container
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. craft — boats
  12. squash — the sport
  13. tube — the underground
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. drill — the tool
  17. craft — a skill
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. stock — goods
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. stock — shares
  22. squash — to crush
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. craft — a handicraft

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