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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bank — of a river
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. foot — a measure
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. stock — shares
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — of the year
  16. stock — goods
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. foot — the bottom

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