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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: nail · stock · tube · plane · last · mark · bass · kid

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. stock — shares
  3. tube — a container
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. mark — a grade
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. last — final
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. last — to go on
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. tube — the underground
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. last — finally
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. kid — to tease
  20. bass — low music
  21. mark — a trace
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. kid — child

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