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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: stand · dip · bound · pound · stock · sharp · plane · face

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stock — shares
  5. face — part of the head
  6. bound — tied together
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. stock — goods
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bound — obliged
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. face — to point toward
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pound — a weight
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bound — certain
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — to sink
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. stand — to bear
  24. face — to confront

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