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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. spell — a short time
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. stock — goods
  7. prune — to trim
  8. cue — a hint
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wake — a trail
  12. spell — magic
  13. prune — to trim
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. spell — letters
  17. cue — for pool
  18. stock — shares

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