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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: cabinet · stock · pitcher · cap · deal · trunk · pound · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  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. mark — a trace
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cap — of ice
  7. stock — goods
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. mark — a grade
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. stock — shares
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. cap — a hat
  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