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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 120 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: plane · pop · pound · stand · snap · rest · cabinet · stock

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  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. stock — goods
  2. pop — to visit
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. rest — a break
  6. pound — a weight
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pop — music
  10. stock — shares
  11. rest — what's left
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. pop — soda
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. rest — what's left
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. snap — to click
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  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