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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.

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 · fan · staff · hand · mate · stock · temple · stick

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. stock — goods
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. mate — a friend
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. mate — a partner
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. mate — to breed
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pound — a weight
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. hand — in cards
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. staff — employees
  23. stock — shares
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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