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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. fork — in a road
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stock — goods
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. pound — a weight
  9. lean — thin
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. stand — to bear
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. shower — rain
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bank — for money
  22. shower — to wash
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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