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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: bay · pound · pitcher · hide · bowl · stock · race · lean

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. stock — shares
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. pound — a weight
  15. race — the arms race
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. race — a contest
  21. race — humankind
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lean — thin
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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