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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. suit — to fit
  4. stock — shares
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bass — low music
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stock — goods
  9. rock — music
  10. suit — in cards
  11. prune — to trim
  12. cap — a hat
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — a stone
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. suit — clothes
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bass — the fish
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. rash — a series
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bass — the instrument

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