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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: bass · bank · stock · nail · object · chair · calf · saw

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bank — for money
  3. bass — the fish
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stock — goods
  10. object — to protest
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bass — low music
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. chair — a leader
  23. stock — shares
  24. object — a thing

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