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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: lean · fork · club · racket · wave · stock · nail · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. club — for golf
  3. bass — low music
  4. club — a group
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stock — shares
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. lean — thin
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fork — in a road
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. stock — goods
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. club — for dancing
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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