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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: board · lean · stock · pop · ruler · leaves · snap · fork

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. pop — music
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. board — to get on
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. stock — goods
  9. snap — to click
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. lean — thin
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pop — soda
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. pop — to visit
  21. stock — shares
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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