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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: nail · bass · stock · hide · bound · fan · dip · cell

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  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. fan — a supporter
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — tied together
  7. dip — to sink
  8. cell — in biology
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bound — certain
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bass — the fish
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. cell — a phone
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. bass — low music
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. stock — shares
  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