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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: fork · stock · dip · march · mark · pit · arm · nail

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. fork — in a road
  4. mark — a trace
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. march — the month
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a grade
  9. pit — a hole
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. march — music
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. pit — in a race
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. dip — to sink
  19. stock — shares
  20. march — the month
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. fork — a garden tool

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