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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 124 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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  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. stock — goods
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. pop — music
  4. last — final
  5. last — to go on
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pop — soda
  8. staff — a stick
  9. suit — clothes
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. ball — a dance
  12. suit — in cards
  13. staff — employees
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a great time
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. suit — to fit
  20. last — finally
  21. pop — to visit
  22. stock — shares
  23. staff — employees
  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