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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lie — to recline
  4. stock — goods
  5. swing — to play on
  6. stock — shares
  7. mark — a trace
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. swing — in golf
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — soda
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. swing — music
  17. pop — to visit
  18. mark — to pay attention

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