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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. file — a tool
  3. row — to paddle
  4. stock — goods
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stock — shares
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — a friend
  10. file — a document
  11. mate — to breed
  12. row — a line
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. stand — to bear
  19. file — a line of people
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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