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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: capital · leaves · rule · stock · snap · stick · nail · net

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. net — in sport
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. net — for catching
  7. capital — money
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. snap — to click
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. rule — government
  18. stock — shares
  19. capital — a city
  20. stock — goods
  21. rule — a law
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. net — after costs
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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