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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: scale · stock · mug · press · bound · straw · mark · bay

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — obliged
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mark — a trace
  7. stock — goods
  8. scale — size or range
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. bound — tied together
  11. scale — in music
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — newspapers
  16. mug — a face
  17. stock — shares
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. mug — to rob
  21. press — to push
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. mark — a grade

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