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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: degree · ground · bore · kick · straw · fine · stock · stand

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. degree — from a university
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — crushed
  10. bore — to tire
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. stock — goods
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. fine — high quality
  18. ground — the earth
  19. kick — in football
  20. fine — all right
  21. stand — to bear
  22. degree — temperature
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. degree — an amount

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