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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. pit — a hole
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — what's left
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. rash — a series
  10. tube — a container
  11. stock — shares
  12. pop — soda
  13. rash — hasty
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pit — in a race
  16. can — a tin
  17. stock — goods
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. pop — music
  20. rest — a break
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pop — to visit
  24. can — a tin

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