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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. rock — music
  3. mark — a grade
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. ball — a great time
  6. fork — in a road
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. stock — shares
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. mark — a trace
  16. ball — a dance
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. stock — goods

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