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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 120 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stock — goods
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. net — in sport
  7. mug — a cup
  8. rock — a stone
  9. club — a group
  10. mug — a face
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mug — to rob
  13. dip — to sink
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — shares
  19. club — for dancing
  20. net — for catching
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. net — after costs
  23. club — for golf
  24. rock — music

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