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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 120 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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. degree — an amount
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stock — shares
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. degree — temperature
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. lie — to recline
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stock — goods
  20. pound — a weight
  21. branch — a division
  22. degree — from a university
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. branch — of a tree

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