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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: fork · rest · straw · ground · mug · bark · stock · ball

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bark — to shout
  6. mug — a cup
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. ground — a position
  9. ball — a great time
  10. stock — shares
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. stock — goods
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. mug — a face
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. fork — in a road
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. rest — what's left
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. ground — crushed

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