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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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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: hand · ball · ruler · pop · prune · dip · suit · stock

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  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. stock — shares
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. stock — goods
  7. pop — music
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pop — soda
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. hand — help
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ball — a great time
  17. prune — to trim
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. pop — to visit
  21. hand — in cards
  22. dip — to sink
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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