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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 120 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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. pop — soda
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. shower — rain
  7. object — an aim
  8. scale — in music
  9. object — a thing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pop — music
  13. object — to protest
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. mug — a cup
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. stock — shares
  21. shower — to wash
  22. pop — to visit
  23. stock — goods
  24. mug — a face

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