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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: wound · stock · object · safe · sharp · pit · mark · nail

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — goods
  7. object — to protest
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pit — in a race
  10. object — a thing
  11. sharp — clever
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. wound — an injury
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. object — an aim
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stock — shares
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pit — a hole

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