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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: lean · stock · pitcher · safe · wake · deal · mouse · nail

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stock — shares
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. lean — thin
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. lean — to bend
  20. stock — goods
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. deal — to handle
  24. wake — a trail

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