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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: stock · club · pound · arm · craft · ball · pop · rush

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pop — soda
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. craft — boats
  7. pound — a weight
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. club — for golf
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. rush — hurry
  12. pop — to visit
  13. craft — a skill
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. stock — goods
  18. club — for dancing
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pop — music
  23. ball — a great time
  24. club — a group

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