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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: rush · nail · wind · stock · branch · mug · rock · net

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. mug — a cup
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. stock — goods
  8. branch — a division
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. net — after costs
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rock — music
  14. net — in sport
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mug — a face
  17. net — for catching
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rock — a stone
  21. wind — moving air
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. rush — hurry
  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