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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: bore · stock · coach · mark · track · fork · kick · toast

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. kick — in football
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. track — a path
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. toast — bread
  9. mark — a trace
  10. stock — shares
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. mark — a grade
  16. track — a song
  17. bore — to tire
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. stock — goods

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