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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stock — shares
  3. scale — size or range
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — goods
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. branch — a division
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mug — a cup
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mug — to rob
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pop — soda
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — to visit
  24. mug — a face

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