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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a great time
  4. stock — goods
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bound — certain
  8. face — to point toward
  9. ball — a dance
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. face — part of the head
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bound — tied together
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. face — to confront
  17. pop — soda
  18. ground — the earth
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. ground — crushed
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bound — obliged
  23. ground — a position
  24. stock — shares

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