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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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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: bowl · fan · prune · stock · stick · straw · pass · pound

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pass — a permit
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. pound — for dogs
  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