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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pop — to visit
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rest — a break
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. stock — shares
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. rest — what's left
  12. chip — to eat
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pop — soda
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. chip — for betting
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. can — a tin
  20. stock — goods
  21. pop — music
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. can — a tin
  24. rest — what's left

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