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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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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stock — goods
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. object — an aim
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. object — a thing
  9. capital — money
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. capital — a city
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. kick — in football
  18. bark — to shout
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. stock — shares
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. object — to protest
  24. mouse — for a computer

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