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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stock — goods
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. game — wild animals
  7. charge — electricity
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. charge — in control
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. mark — a grade
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. charge — a price
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. prune — to trim
  17. game — a match
  18. stock — shares
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. mark — a trace
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pound — a weight
  24. lash — an eyelash

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