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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pound · lash · court · net · stock · fine · bear · pass

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. net — in sport
  4. court — of law
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. fine — all right
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. fine — high quality
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. court — for sport
  16. bear — the animal
  17. stock — goods
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — for catching
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. court — of a king
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. fine — a penalty

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