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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: stock · foot · fork · sharp · stand · board · bear · ball

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. board — to get on
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stock — shares
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. board — a committee
  15. ball — a great time
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. fork — in a road
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stock — goods
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bear — the animal
  24. ball — a dance

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