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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: can · spring · pound · stock · wind · key · pass · object

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. object — to protest
  5. spring — of water
  6. stock — shares
  7. object — an aim
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — in music
  10. key — for a lock
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. spring — the season
  16. object — a thing
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. spring — a coil
  19. can — a tin
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pound — a weight
  24. can — a tin

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