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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: race · suit · wax · bank · jam · stock · snap · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. wax — to grow
  4. suit — clothes
  5. stock — shares
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bank — of a river
  11. race — humankind
  12. bank — for money
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. race — a contest
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. suit — to fit
  21. snap — to click
  22. race — the arms race
  23. stock — goods
  24. bank — for money

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