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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: stock · spring · kid · wake · racket · lie · mouse · pound

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — goods
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. wake — a trail
  11. lie — to recline
  12. spring — of water
  13. kid — child
  14. spring — a coil
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. spring — the season
  20. kid — to tease
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pound — a weight
  24. wake — before a funeral

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