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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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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 · pitch · nail · stock · scale · current · deal · ground

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — goods
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. pitch — completely
  9. ground — the earth
  10. current — of water
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. scale — size or range
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. current — electric
  15. ground — a position
  16. ground — crushed
  17. deal — to handle
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. current — happening now
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. scale — in music

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