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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: stock · suit · fork · tube · bore · roll · object · rush

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — an aim
  4. suit — clothes
  5. object — to protest
  6. bore — to tire
  7. fork — in a road
  8. rush — hurry
  9. tube — a container
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. suit — to fit
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — goods
  16. roll — a list
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. suit — in cards
  19. tube — the underground
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. stock — shares
  23. bore — to drill
  24. rush — a thrill

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