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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. pop — soda
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. race — humankind
  7. stock — shares
  8. staff — employees
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. race — the arms race
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. race — a contest
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. staff — employees
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. stock — goods
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. pop — 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