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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: branch · nail · staff · fall · firm · snap · bowl · stock

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. firm — decided
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. staff — employees
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. firm — steady
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. staff — employees
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. firm — a company
  14. branch — a division
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stock — shares
  17. staff — a stick
  18. fall — the season
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. fall — to drop
  21. snap — to click
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. stock — goods

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