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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 · roll · present · key · staff · stock · land · firm

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. stock — goods
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — decided
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. present — the time now
  7. firm — steady
  8. stock — shares
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. key — for a lock
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. staff — employees
  13. land — a country
  14. key — in music
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. staff — a stick
  17. land — to come down
  18. present — a gift
  19. roll — a cake
  20. land — ground
  21. key — the most important part
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. staff — employees
  24. roll — a list

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