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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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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: ruler · cap · fork · stock · stick · fine · lean · pound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pound — a weight
  4. fine — all right
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. lean — thin
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fork — in a road
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stock — shares
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. cap — a lid
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — of ice
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. fine — high quality
  24. stock — goods

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