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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: stock · key · saw · can · stick · pound · ball · rule

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rule — a law
  4. can — a tin
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. can — a tin
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stock — goods
  11. can — to be able to
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. stock — shares
  14. pound — a weight
  15. ball — a dance
  16. key — for a lock
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. key — the most important part
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. rule — government
  23. key — in music
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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