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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: nail · cue · ruler · current · stock · field · bay · rock

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. cue — for pool
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. field — for sport
  9. current — of water
  10. field — a subject
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. cue — a signal
  13. rock — a stone
  14. current — electric
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. field — farmland
  19. stock — shares
  20. current — happening now
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stock — goods
  24. cue — a hint

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