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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: stock · arm · straw · bore · last · key · stick · rock

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. last — final
  5. rock — a stone
  6. last — finally
  7. bore — to tire
  8. key — in music
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. key — the most important part
  14. stock — shares
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bore — to drill
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stock — goods
  23. rock — music
  24. key — for a lock

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