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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. stock — shares
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. prune — to trim
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. prune — to trim
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rock — music
  15. land — a country
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. land — ground
  23. land — to come down
  24. jam — a tight spot

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