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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: sharp · ruler · stock · band · nail · field · mouse · suit

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. field — a subject
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. suit — in cards
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — to fit
  10. field — farmland
  11. stock — shares
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. field — for sport
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stock — goods
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. suit — clothes
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. band — a music group
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. sharp — clever
  24. mouse — the animal

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