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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: foot · cell · stock · fan · rock · bore

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. stock — goods
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. foot — a measure
  11. cell — a phone
  12. rock — music
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. cell — in biology
  15. stock — shares
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bore — to drill
  18. stock — a soup base

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