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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 116 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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stock — goods
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. content — happy
  8. stand — to bear
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. shower — to wash
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. content — the amount
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. stock — shares
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. rush — hurry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. prune — to trim

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