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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. stock — goods
  3. rash — hasty
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. craft — boats
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pound — a weight
  12. craft — a skill
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — to point toward
  15. track — to keep track
  16. stock — shares
  17. rash — a series
  18. track — a path
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. face — part of the head
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. track — a song

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