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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.

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: court · stock · chair · rock · bear · tube · mouse · sharp

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — clever
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stock — shares
  12. bear — the animal
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of a king
  17. tube — the underground
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. stock — goods
  20. chair — a leader
  21. tube — a container
  22. court — of law
  23. rock — music
  24. chair — a professorship

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