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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: pound · drill · squash · can · wake · stock · fork · racket

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. drill — army training
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. squash — to crush
  8. can — to be able to
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. can — a tin
  12. pound — a weight
  13. can — a tin
  14. fork — in a road
  15. wake — a trail
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — goods
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. squash — the sport
  24. racket — for tennis

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