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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 120 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 · staff · cabinet · mark · stick · nail · pit · racket

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mark — a trace
  4. stock — goods
  5. mark — a grade
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. stock — shares
  13. staff — employees
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a hole
  22. staff — employees
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. staff — a stick

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