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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: bear · rest · fork · straw · roll · fall · suit · stock

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. fall — to drop
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bear — the animal
  5. suit — to fit
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fall — the season
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stock — goods
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. fork — in a road
  18. roll — a list
  19. stock — shares
  20. bear — the animal
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. fall — to drop
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. roll — a cake

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