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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: can · nail · straw · firm · current · stock · race · wake

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. can — a tin
  4. firm — a company
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. current — happening now
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. race — humankind
  10. can — to be able to
  11. race — the arms race
  12. can — a tin
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. current — electric
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. current — of water
  17. race — a contest
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. firm — steady
  22. wake — a trail
  23. stock — goods
  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