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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lean · nail · stick · game · chip · stock · root · firm

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. lean — to bend
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. game — a match
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stock — goods
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. chip — to eat
  10. root — of a plant
  11. game — wild animals
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — a company
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. lean — thin
  16. root — of a word
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. root — the cause
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. chip — for betting
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. firm — steady
  23. stock — shares
  24. game — a kind of play

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