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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: ground · coach · pop · deal · bear · fork · rest · stock

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ground — the earth
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. fork — in a road
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stock — goods
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. pop — music
  13. pop — soda
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bear — the animal
  16. ground — a position
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. ground — crushed
  22. pop — to visit
  23. stock — shares
  24. rest — a break

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