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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: pound · bay · can · spell · wind · stock · bear · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stand — to bear
  5. can — to be able to
  6. spell — a short time
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wind — moving air
  14. can — a tin
  15. stock — goods
  16. can — a tin
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. wind — moving air
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. spell — letters
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spell — magic
  23. stock — a soup base
  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