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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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. prune — to trim
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bass — the fish
  6. wind — moving air
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — goods
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. mug — a cup
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wind — moving air
  16. prune — to trim
  17. mug — to rob
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bass — low music
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. mug — a face
  23. pass — to succeed
  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