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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. stock — goods
  3. present — the time now
  4. fine — all right
  5. present — there
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. season — of the year
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stock — shares
  10. pop — soda
  11. fine — high quality
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. present — a gift
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pop — to visit
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. suit — to fit
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. season — in sport
  23. suit — in cards
  24. leaves — to go away

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