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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 116 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 · mug · rash · mouse · nail · rest · kid · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. rash — a series
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mug — a cup
  5. rest — a break
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — goods
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stock — shares
  11. rash — hasty
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. mug — to rob
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. rest — what's left
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. kid — child
  19. mug — a face
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. kid — to tease
  24. mouse — for a computer

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