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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 116 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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. mug — a cup
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. mug — a face
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. stock — goods
  9. prune — to trim
  10. object — to protest
  11. kid — child
  12. object — an aim
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stock — shares
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. object — a thing
  23. kid — to tease
  24. deal — an agreement

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