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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: deal · ground · stock · wave · ball · board · fork · chair

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. deal — to handle
  3. stock — shares
  4. ground — a position
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. ground — crushed
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — goods
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. chair — a leader
  12. board — a committee
  13. ball — a dance
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. ground — the earth
  16. fork — in a road
  17. board — to get on
  18. ball — a great time
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. chair — a professorship

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