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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: wound · stock · stand · calf · pound · staff · cue · mug

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. cue — a hint
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. mug — a cup
  5. staff — employees
  6. mug — to rob
  7. stock — shares
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. wound — an injury
  12. cue — for pool
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. cue — a signal
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. mug — a face
  24. wound — an injury

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