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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. stock — goods
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. wake — a trail
  7. stand — to bear
  8. swing — in golf
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. swing — music
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. kick — in football
  16. file — a document
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. file — a tool
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. swing — to play on
  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