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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 120 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 · can · nail · board · pass · key · perch · track

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. can — a tin
  4. key — for a lock
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — to get on
  7. stock — goods
  8. key — the most important part
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. can — a tin
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. track — a path
  15. track — a song
  16. stock — shares
  17. perch — the fish
  18. key — in music
  19. board — a committee
  20. track — to keep track
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pass — a permit

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