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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 · present · foot · fork · pop · club · bowl · rock

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. pop — music
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pop — to visit
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. present — a gift
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. club — for golf
  11. foot — a measure
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. stock — shares
  14. fork — in a road
  15. club — a group
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. present — there
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. stock — goods
  21. rock — music
  22. present — the time now
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. pop — soda

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