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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pop · dip · charge · current · prune · arm · stock · bear

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. charge — a price
  4. bear — the animal
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pop — to visit
  7. charge — electricity
  8. dip — to sink
  9. prune — to trim
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. current — happening now
  13. stock — goods
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. charge — in control
  16. pop — music
  17. stock — shares
  18. current — of water
  19. bear — the animal
  20. current — electric
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. dip — to dunk

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