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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. stock — shares
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. roll — a list
  7. spring — a coil
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. court — of law
  10. stock — goods
  11. spring — the season
  12. spring — of water
  13. track — to keep track
  14. pass — a permit
  15. track — a song
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. court — of a king
  19. track — a path
  20. court — for sport
  21. squash — the sport
  22. roll — a cake
  23. squash — to crush
  24. stock — a soup base

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