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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 116 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 · bore · rush · cap · mark · stock · stand · pound

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. rush — hurry
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. mark — a trace
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — a lid
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bore — to tire
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. stock — shares
  15. bore — to drill
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stock — goods
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. pound — a weight
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. lean — thin
  24. bore — gave birth

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