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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pit — a hole
  4. firm — steady
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. can — to be able to
  8. prune — to trim
  9. can — a tin
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bass — low music
  15. wake — a trail
  16. mug — a face
  17. firm — a company
  18. mug — a cup
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — goods
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. firm — decided
  24. can — a tin

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