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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 · jam · game · vault · racket · nail · bore · fine

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fine — high quality
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. fine — all right
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bore — to drill
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bore — to tire
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. stock — goods
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. game — wild animals
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. game — a match
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. stock — shares

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