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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.

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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. prune — to trim
  9. rock — a stone
  10. stock — shares
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. stock — goods
  13. rock — music
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mug — a face
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pass — a permit

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