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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 · stick · land · pitch · lash · nail · ruler · drill

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. land — ground
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. land — to come down
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. drill — the tool
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. drill — army training
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. stock — shares
  14. drill — a practice
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stock — goods
  23. pitch — completely
  24. ruler — a monarch

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