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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: firm · rest · bear · temple · nail · hand · rash · stock

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. firm — decided
  5. rest — a break
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rest — what's left
  8. firm — a company
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. hand — in cards
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. firm — steady
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rash — hasty
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. rash — a series
  22. bear — the animal
  23. hand — help
  24. stock — shares

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