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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.

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: mug · stock · land · net · mouse · pound · snap · bear

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. mug — a cup
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. snap — to click
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. net — in sport
  9. stock — shares
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. net — for catching
  14. mug — to rob
  15. net — after costs
  16. mug — a face
  17. pound — a weight
  18. stock — goods
  19. land — to come down
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. bear — the animal
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. land — ground
  24. stock — a soup base

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