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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stock — shares
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bark — to shout
  8. cue — a signal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stock — goods
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. craft — a skill
  14. fine — all right
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. cue — for pool
  18. pound — a weight
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — boats
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. cue — a hint
  24. fine — high quality

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