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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: coach · bank · rash · stock · nail · stick · sharp · bowl

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. sharp — clever
  5. rash — hasty
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rash — a series
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bank — for money
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — shares
  14. bank — for money
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bank — of a river
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bowl — to roll

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