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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: tear · stock · wind · stick · mug · pop · pass · fan

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pop — soda
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. mug — to rob
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. wind — moving air
  12. mug — a cup
  13. pop — music
  14. mug — a face
  15. tear — from crying
  16. stock — goods
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pop — to visit
  20. stock — shares
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — to rip
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. fan — to cool the air

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