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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: band · bay · roll · stick · fork · mark · stock · ruler

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. roll — a cake
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fork — in a road
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. roll — a list
  8. mark — a grade
  9. stock — goods
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stock — shares
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a ring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. band — a music group
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bay — a horse colour

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