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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.

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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: fall · rock · pop · sharp · bowl · bear · fine · stock

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — high quality
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. pop — to visit
  12. fine — all right
  13. pop — music
  14. fall — the season
  15. stock — goods
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. fall — to drop
  20. rock — a stone
  21. pop — soda
  22. stock — shares
  23. rock — music
  24. sharp — clever

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