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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: roll · stock · cell · nail · hide · foot · suit · straw

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. suit — to fit
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cell — a phone
  10. stock — shares
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. roll — a list
  13. roll — a cake
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. foot — a measure
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. suit — in cards
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stock — goods
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. roll — on a roll

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