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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: straw · rest · object · stock · nail · cue · racket · track

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. track — to keep track
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. cue — for pool
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — a thing
  8. track — a song
  9. stock — goods
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — a signal
  12. rest — a break
  13. stock — shares
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. track — a path
  17. rest — what's left
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. object — to protest
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rest — what's left
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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