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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. mug — a face
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. mug — a cup
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stock — goods
  16. pound — a weight
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. chip — to eat
  19. row — to paddle
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stock — shares
  24. mug — to rob

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