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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: foot · pop · march · racket · chest · nail · suit · stock

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. suit — in cards
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — shares
  6. suit — to fit
  7. chest — a box
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. march — music
  12. march — the month
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. suit — clothes
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pop — music
  18. march — the month
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. chest — of your body
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. foot — a measure
  23. chest — of your body
  24. pop — to visit

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