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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stock — shares
  3. scale — size or range
  4. pop — soda
  5. stock — goods
  6. scale — in music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rash — hasty
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pop — to visit
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. rash — a series
  19. pop — music
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pound — a weight
  24. rash — on the skin

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