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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ground — the earth
  3. pitch — completely
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stock — goods
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. fork — in a road
  9. ground — a position
  10. can — to be able to
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. can — a tin
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. can — a tin
  20. date — the fruit
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. ground — crushed
  24. stock — shares

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