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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. board — a committee
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. cap — of ice
  9. board — to get on
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. cap — a hat
  13. stock — shares
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — for dancing
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. stock — goods
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. cap — a lid
  24. club — a group

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