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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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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: cell · deal · fork · firm · can · pop · stock · game

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. stock — shares
  3. cell — a phone
  4. firm — a company
  5. pop — to visit
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. stock — goods
  11. firm — decided
  12. pop — music
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. pop — soda
  17. firm — steady
  18. can — to be able to
  19. game — wild animals
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. deal — to handle
  22. game — a match
  23. cell — in biology
  24. deal — an agreement

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