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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: stock · bear · club · nail · current · toast · rock · tube

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. tube — a container
  5. stock — shares
  6. club — for golf
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. rock — music
  12. bear — the animal
  13. club — a group
  14. bear — the animal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. tube — the underground
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. stock — goods
  21. rock — a stone
  22. club — for dancing
  23. current — of water
  24. toast — the most admired

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