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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: race · scale · snap · rush · trunk · rest · stock · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. scale — in music
  3. stock — goods
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. rest — what's left
  8. scale — size or range
  9. rest — what's left
  10. stock — shares
  11. rest — a break
  12. race — a contest
  13. rush — hurry
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. race — the arms race
  20. snap — to click
  21. race — humankind
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rush — a thrill

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