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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. pop — soda
  3. staff — employees
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. pop — music
  6. club — a group
  7. staff — employees
  8. mine — for digging
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pop — to visit
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. staff — a stick
  15. club — for golf
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. can — to be able to
  21. club — for dancing
  22. stock — goods
  23. prune — to trim
  24. stock — shares

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