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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 120 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
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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: court · foot · stock · nail · staff · spell · bass · ruler

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. spell — magic
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — a measure
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bass — low music
  7. spell — a short time
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. spell — letters
  10. stock — shares
  11. court — of law
  12. staff — employees
  13. bass — the fish
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. court — of a king
  17. court — for sport
  18. staff — employees
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stock — goods
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. stock — a soup base

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