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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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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: stand · land · deal · pound · bank · stock · wake · mate

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. land — a country
  3. deal — to handle
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. mate — to breed
  6. wake — a trail
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stock — shares
  11. mate — a friend
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. stock — goods
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. mate — a partner
  16. pound — a weight
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. land — ground
  19. land — to come down
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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