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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: fork · stand · rock · stock · nail · wake · ground · chest

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. ground — crushed
  4. stock — shares
  5. wake — a trail
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. chest — of your body
  8. stock — goods
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. ground — a position
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — music
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. ground — the earth
  18. chest — of your body
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. chest — a box
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rock — a stone

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