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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 116 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 · fork · present · can · spell · rock · bore · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. tube — the underground
  3. present — the time now
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bore — to tire
  6. spell — magic
  7. stock — goods
  8. present — there
  9. fork — in a road
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. tube — a container
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. present — a gift
  16. rock — a stone
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — a short time
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bore — to drill
  22. rock — music
  23. stock — shares
  24. bore — gave birth

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