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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: ruler · pound · stock · dip · craft · toast · kick · lie

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. pound — a weight
  3. stock — shares
  4. toast — bread
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a skill
  17. kick — in football
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. pound — for dogs

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