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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. tube — a container
  3. game — a match
  4. tube — the underground
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. stock — goods
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. perch — the fish
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. pound — a weight
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bank — for money
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bank — for money
  18. stock — shares
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bank — of a river
  23. stock — a soup base
  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