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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. tube — a container
  3. suit — in cards
  4. stock — goods
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. net — after costs
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. tube — the underground
  9. net — in sport
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stock — shares
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. prune — to trim
  17. net — for catching
  18. suit — clothes

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