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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: rash · bank · kid · stock · current · nail · drill · dip

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. bank — of a river
  3. drill — army training
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. current — happening now
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. kid — child
  10. stock — goods
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. current — of water
  14. kid — to tease
  15. stock — shares
  16. rash — hasty
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. rash — a series
  20. drill — a practice
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. current — electric

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