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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. net — in sport
  4. hand — help
  5. chip — to eat
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. rock — music
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pop — music
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pop — soda
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. net — for catching
  16. prune — to trim
  17. suit — clothes
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — goods
  20. hand — in cards
  21. net — after costs
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rock — a stone
  24. pop — to visit

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