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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: cabinet · stock · rest · safe · nail · firm · saw · rush

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. stock — goods
  5. saw — the tool
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. firm — steady
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. rest — a break
  14. stock — shares
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — a company
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rest — what's left
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. saw — the tool

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