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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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. mug — a cup
  3. prune — to trim
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. rash — hasty
  8. mug — to rob
  9. cue — for pool
  10. content — the amount
  11. cue — a hint
  12. content — happy
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — shares
  18. cue — a signal
  19. wake — a trail
  20. mug — a face
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. stock — goods
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rash — a series

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