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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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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: stick · wind · fork · stock · mine · nail · stand · can

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. wind — moving air
  7. can — a tin
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stock — goods
  10. wind — moving air
  11. can — a tin
  12. fork — in a road
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — shares
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mine — for digging
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. can — to be able 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