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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. rock — music
  8. mug — a cup
  9. ball — a dance
  10. lean — thin
  11. stock — goods
  12. lean — to bend
  13. spell — a short time
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mug — a face
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. spell — letters
  18. rock — a stone
  19. band — a music group
  20. band — a ring
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. mug — to rob
  23. ball — a great time
  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