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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: kick · can · stock · wax · drill · suit · fine · ground

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. drill — the tool
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — the earth
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — shares
  7. kick — in football
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. ground — crushed
  11. wax — to grow
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. can — a tin
  14. suit — in cards
  15. can — to be able to
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. drill — a practice
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. can — a tin
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. drill — army training
  23. fine — high quality
  24. wax — in the ear

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