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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  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. stock — shares
  2. stock — goods
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. craft — a skill
  5. spell — magic
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. spell — a short time
  8. toast — bread
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bass — the fish
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bass — low music
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. craft — boats
  19. spell — letters
  20. pit — in a race
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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