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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: rock · scale · cabinet · stock · ball · bear · nail · stick

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stock — goods
  6. ball — a great time
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rock — a stone
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stock — shares
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. scale — in music
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. ball — a dance
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — music

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