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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
468
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: deal · fork · fall · pitcher · shower · stock · safe · track

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. fork — in a road
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. stock — shares
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — to drop
  8. shower — rain
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. track — a path
  11. shower — to wash
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. stock — goods
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. deal — to handle
  19. track — a song
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. track — to keep track
  24. safe — a strongbox

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