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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: pass · nail · wake · mark · bulb · mine · stock · fork

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. wake — a trail
  8. stock — goods
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. mark — a trace
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. fork — in a road
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stock — shares
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mark — a grade
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. mine — belonging to me

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