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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. stock — goods
  3. cue — for pool
  4. face — part of the head
  5. root — of a word
  6. prune — to trim
  7. root — the cause
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. pop — soda
  11. prune — to trim
  12. face — to point toward
  13. cue — a hint
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — music
  17. stock — shares
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bat — the animal
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. face — to confront
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stock — a soup base

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