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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: bowl · nail · swing · lean · press · mouse · stock · key

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to bend
  6. swing — music
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — in golf
  11. stock — goods
  12. press — newspapers
  13. stock — shares
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. press — to push
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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