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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: rule · dip · mark · pound · ball · mine · cabinet · stock

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. rule — government
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. pound — a weight
  8. mark — a trace
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ball — a dance
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mark — a grade
  20. stock — shares
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. rule — a law
  23. dip — to sink
  24. mark — to pay attention

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