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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · stock · rush · mug · court · dip · prune · object

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. stock — goods
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. object — an aim
  7. saw — the tool
  8. court — of law
  9. court — for sport
  10. prune — to trim
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. rush — hurry
  13. object — to protest
  14. mug — a cup
  15. dip — to sink
  16. court — of a king
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stock — shares
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. object — a thing
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. dip — a sauce

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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