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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: deal · drill · straw · firm · bore · stock · foot · pound

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. foot — a measure
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. deal — to handle
  7. stock — shares
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bore — to drill
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. firm — steady
  15. bore — to tire
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. drill — army training
  18. firm — decided
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. drill — a practice
  22. firm — a company
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. stock — goods

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