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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: pound · bowl · craft · current · track · rash · stock · lie

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. lie — to recline
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. pound — a weight
  6. track — a path
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — electric
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. track — a song
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stock — goods
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. craft — boats
  21. stock — shares
  22. track — to keep track
  23. current — of water
  24. stock — a soup base

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