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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
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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 · tube · bore · fork · toast · mug · degree · wind

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. stock — shares
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. mug — to rob
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. mug — a face
  13. stock — goods
  14. bore — to tire
  15. degree — from a university
  16. tube — the underground
  17. mug — a cup
  18. degree — an amount
  19. toast — bread
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. wind — moving air
  22. degree — temperature
  23. bore — to drill
  24. tube — a container

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