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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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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: rest · drill · straw · foot · pound · lie · fan · stock

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. pound — a weight
  3. stock — goods
  4. rest — what's left
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. lie — to recline
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. drill — a practice
  10. stock — shares
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. drill — army training
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. rest — a break
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. drill — the tool
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. rest — what's left

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