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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: pass · rash · nail · bore · stock · chair · roll · branch

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bore — to drill
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — goods
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. rash — a series
  13. stock — shares
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. chair — a leader
  16. roll — a list
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. bore — to tire
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. roll — a cake
  23. pass — a permit
  24. rash — hasty

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