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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pop — soda
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pop — to visit
  8. stock — shares
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bound — obliged
  12. rest — a break
  13. root — of a word
  14. pop — music
  15. bound — certain
  16. root — the cause
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stock — goods
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rush — hurry
  24. prune — to trim

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