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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. court — of a king
  3. stock — shares
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. court — of law
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pound — a weight
  14. court — for sport
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. stock — goods
  19. cell — a phone
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bank — for money
  24. mine — for digging

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