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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stock · bay · nail · squash · game · staff · pound · foot

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stock — shares
  4. game — a match
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. game — wild animals
  9. squash — the sport
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. staff — employees
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pound — a weight
  19. squash — to crush
  20. staff — a stick
  21. stock — goods
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. staff — employees

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