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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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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. stock — goods
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. drill — a practice
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. toast — bread
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. drill — army training
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stock — shares
  24. fork — in a road

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