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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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Word bank
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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: cap · rash · rock · stock · can · pound

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pound — a weight
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rock — music
  5. stock — goods
  6. cap — a lid
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. rash — a series
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cap — a hat
  14. can — a tin
  15. stock — shares
  16. rash — hasty
  17. can — a tin
  18. rock — to move gently

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