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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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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: bank · key · cabinet · stock · bay · chest · nail · racket

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. racket — a loud noise
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bank — of a river
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. chest — a box
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stock — shares
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. chest — of your body
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. key — in music
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. key — the most important part
  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