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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. rock — music
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. rock — a stone
  7. stock — shares
  8. bank — for money
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bank — for money
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. stock — goods
  22. track — a song
  23. bank — of a river
  24. track — a path

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