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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: mouse · pass · stock · bass · hide · prune · spring · bore

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bore — to drill
  3. spring — the season
  4. bass — low music
  5. stock — goods
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. spring — of water
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. prune — to trim
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. spring — a coil
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bass — the fish
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bore — to tire
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. stock — shares
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pass — a permit

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