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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 116 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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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: perch · bound · stock · bass · bore · pound · squash · club

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. stock — goods
  4. bore — to drill
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pound — a weight
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bound — obliged
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. club — a group
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — for golf
  15. stock — shares
  16. squash — the sport
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bound — certain
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. squash — to crush

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