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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 120 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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. stock — goods
  3. cue — for pool
  4. spring — a coil
  5. stock — shares
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pop — soda
  9. rock — music
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. bore — to tire
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pop — music
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. spring — of water
  16. bore — to drill
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. cue — a hint
  19. rock — a stone
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pass — a permit
  24. cue — a signal

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