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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: lie · snap · pound · ground · stock · fine · rush · stem

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — crushed
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. lie — to recline
  8. fine — all right
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. rush — hurry
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stock — goods
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. snap — to click
  15. stock — shares
  16. ground — the earth
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stem — to come from
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. fine — high quality
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. pound — a weight

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