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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 116 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: wind · nail · stock · bulb · lie · spell · hide · bank

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. wind — moving air
  3. stock — shares
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bank — for money
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bank — for money
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bank — of a river
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. bulb — for light
  16. spell — letters
  17. wind — moving air
  18. stock — goods
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. spell — magic
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. lie — an untruth

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