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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: board · jam · straw · snap · pound · rush · root · stock

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. root — of a plant
  4. stock — goods
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — to get on
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. snap — to click
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a word
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. pound — a weight
  18. stock — shares
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. rush — hurry
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. pound — to hit hard

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