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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 120 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: bound · row · deal · stock · current · rock · nail · rash

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. stock — goods
  3. bound — certain
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — to paddle
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — music
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. bound — obliged
  14. stock — shares
  15. bound — tied together
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. current — electric
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — of water
  21. row — a line
  22. deal — to handle
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rash — a series

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