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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: stock · bat · swing · bound · nail · face · roll · safe

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bat — the animal
  7. roll — a list
  8. stock — goods
  9. face — to point toward
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bound — obliged
  14. face — to confront
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stock — shares
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bound — tied together
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — music
  22. roll — a cake
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. face — part of the head

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