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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: stock · march · stem · cabinet · pound · bowl · bound · ball

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. march — music
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. stock — shares
  5. bound — certain
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. stock — goods
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. ball — a dance
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. pound — a weight
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bound — tied together
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. ball — a great time
  21. stem — to come from
  22. march — the month
  23. march — the month
  24. stock — a soup base

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