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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: cap · chip · stock · arm · firm · pound · fine · bear

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. stock — shares
  5. bear — the animal
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chip — for betting
  9. fine — high quality
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. chip — to eat
  12. firm — decided
  13. pound — a weight
  14. cap — a lid
  15. firm — steady
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. stock — goods
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. firm — a company
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. arm — part of the body

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