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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: pop · bore · fork · temple · date · stock · pitcher · bank

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bank — for money
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bore — to drill
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bank — of a river
  12. stock — goods
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. stock — shares
  18. pop — music
  19. fork — in a road
  20. bank — for money
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. date — the fruit
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. pop — soda

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