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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pop — music
  4. stock — shares
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stock — goods
  7. face — to point toward
  8. pop — to visit
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. charge — electricity
  12. rock — a stone
  13. charge — a price
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. charge — in control
  17. pop — soda
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. face — to confront
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rock — music
  24. face — part of the head

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