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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 120 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: lean · hand · dip · temple · track · pit · pound · stock

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. lean — to bend
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pound — a weight
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. track — to keep track
  9. stock — goods
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. dip — to sink
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. stock — shares
  15. track — a song
  16. track — a path
  17. hand — in cards
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. lean — thin
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. hand — help

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