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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 · perch · game · patient · bowl · firm · fork · snap

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. fork — in a road
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. perch — the fish
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. firm — a company
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. stock — goods
  17. firm — decided
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. snap — to click
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — shares
  22. game — wild animals
  23. game — a match
  24. firm — steady

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