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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  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. straw — dry grass
  2. present — there
  3. craft — a skill
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. fall — the season
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. rest — a break
  10. stock — shares
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. craft — boats
  19. fall — to drop
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. stock — goods
  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