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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: mate · object · stock · nail · fan · track · snap · cabinet

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. mate — to breed
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. snap — to click
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. stock — shares
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. track — a path
  13. mate — a friend
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — a thing
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. track — to keep track
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. mate — a partner
  22. track — a song
  23. stock — goods
  24. fan — a supporter

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