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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 120 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: fork · pop · ruler · stock · ground · staff · cap · dip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. pop — music
  3. ground — a position
  4. stock — shares
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. cap — a lid
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pop — soda
  11. ground — the earth
  12. stock — goods
  13. fork — in a road
  14. pop — to visit
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cap — a hat
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. ground — crushed
  19. staff — employees
  20. cap — of ice
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. staff — employees
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. staff — a stick

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