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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: stock · ground · dip · bore · toast · ruler · fork · fine

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. bore — to tire
  3. ground — a position
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. fine — all right
  10. dip — to sink
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. fine — high quality
  16. ground — the earth
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. stock — shares
  20. toast — bread
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bore — to drill
  24. fine — a penalty

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