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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bass — the fish
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bound — tied together
  5. stock — goods
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bound — certain
  13. mate — a partner
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bass — low music
  16. press — to push
  17. mate — to breed
  18. press — newspapers
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. press — a publisher
  23. stock — shares
  24. mouse — the animal

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