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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. field — a subject
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a plant
  12. prune — to trim
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. ball — a great time
  16. field — for sport
  17. ball — a dance
  18. pound — a weight
  19. root — of a word
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. prune — to trim
  24. field — farmland

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