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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 · roll · swing · pound · mark · last · stick · bore

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. roll — a list
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bore — to drill
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bore — to tire
  9. roll — a cake
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. last — final
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. last — finally
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — shares
  17. swing — music
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. swing — to play on
  20. mark — a grade
  21. swing — in golf
  22. mark — a trace
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. pound — for dogs

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