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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. race — a contest
  7. stock — shares
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stand — to bear
  10. club — for dancing
  11. race — humankind
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pound — a weight
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stock — goods
  21. club — for golf
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. race — the arms race
  24. club — a group

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