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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: sharp · bear · stick · drill · toast · capital · stock · scale

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. 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. drill — a practice
  2. capital — money
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — army training
  7. scale — in music
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. capital — a city
  11. scale — size or range
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bear — the animal
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — clever
  23. stock — shares
  24. 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