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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: firm · rest · nail · racket · kid · foot · jam · stock

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. foot — a measure
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. kid — to tease
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. firm — a company
  13. rest — what's left
  14. firm — steady
  15. stock — shares
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. firm — decided
  18. kid — child
  19. rest — what's left
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. stock — goods
  23. rest — a break
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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