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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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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: arm · pound · stock · cap · ruler · wake · pitcher · lie

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. wake — a trail
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. stock — goods
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. lie — to recline
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cap — of ice
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cap — a hat
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. cap — a lid
  24. stock — shares

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