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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: fine · spring · squash · race · can · stock · nail · rush

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. spring — the season
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. squash — the sport
  9. spring — a coil
  10. stock — goods
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. can — a tin
  13. fine — all right
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. can — to be able to
  16. race — the arms race
  17. race — humankind
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. can — a tin
  21. rush — hurry
  22. spring — of water
  23. race — a contest
  24. squash — to crush

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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