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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 116 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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. stock — goods
  3. row — a line
  4. wind — moving air
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. stock — shares
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. plane — a tool
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. pass — a permit
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — for catching
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — to paddle
  20. net — in sport
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. pound — a weight
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. wind — moving air

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