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

Word bank: stock · fork · stick · roll · kid · bear

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. kid — to tease
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. roll — a list
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. stock — shares
  16. kid — child
  17. roll — a cake
  18. stock — goods

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