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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: bowl · racket · ground · bound · bear · wake · current · stock

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stock — goods
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. current — happening now
  8. wake — a trail
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ground — a position
  11. stock — shares
  12. ground — the earth
  13. bound — obliged
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — tied together

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