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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: row · stock · nail · land · chair · rock · rest · bay

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. row — to paddle
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. chair — a leader
  8. rock — a stone
  9. stock — goods
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. row — a line
  12. rock — music
  13. land — to come down
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. land — a country
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stock — shares
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — a break

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