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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. stock — goods
  3. rock — a stone
  4. firm — decided
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. spell — a short time
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. firm — steady
  10. prune — to trim
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. spell — magic
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — a position
  18. firm — a company
  19. plane — a tool
  20. rock — music
  21. prune — to trim
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. spell — letters
  24. plane — an aircraft

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