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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stock · bat · bowl · nail · track · cabinet · arm · lie

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a path
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bat — the animal
  14. track — a song
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. stock — shares
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. lie — to recline
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stock — goods
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. arm — a part of something

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