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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: straw · stand · club · pound · kick · stock

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. club — for dancing
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. kick — in football
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. stock — goods
  8. club — for golf
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. stand — to bear
  12. pound — a weight
  13. stock — shares
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. club — a group

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