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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: ball · stock · nail · bore · sharp · fine · hand · present

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. present — a gift
  4. bore — to tire
  5. fine — high quality
  6. present — the time now
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. present — there
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. hand — help
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bore — to drill
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a great time
  16. sharp — clever
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. hand — in cards
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. stock — goods
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. fine — all right

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