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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: spring · rush · stand · stock · lie · nail · content · mouse

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. content — happy
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. content — the amount
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. stock — goods
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. spring — the season
  15. stand — to bear
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. lie — to recline
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. spring — of water
  22. spring — a coil
  23. rush — hurry
  24. lie — an untruth

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