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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: can · wake · deal · pound · pop · toast · stock · craft

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — music
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. can — a tin
  9. stock — goods
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. deal — to handle
  13. toast — bread
  14. pound — a weight
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. can — to be able to
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — boats
  21. wake — a trail
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. can — a tin
  24. stock — shares

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