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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. fine — high quality
  3. stock — shares
  4. fall — the season
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. mug — to rob
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. track — to keep track
  9. plane — a tool
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pitch — completely
  12. fall — to drop
  13. stock — goods
  14. mug — a face
  15. track — a path
  16. mug — a cup
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. track — a song
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fine — all right
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. pound — a weight

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