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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: saw · stock · press · foot · wake · deal · nail · net

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. net — for catching
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. net — after costs
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. net — in sport
  10. press — a publisher
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. saw — the tool
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. deal — to handle
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — to push
  17. stock — goods
  18. saw — the tool
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. stock — shares
  24. wake — a trail

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