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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — shares
  3. pound — a weight
  4. kick — in football
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. present — the time now
  8. stand — to bear
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. present — there
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. drill — army training
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stock — goods
  19. present — a gift
  20. season — in sport
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. season — of the year
  24. stand — on your feet

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