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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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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: root · prune · mate · date · roll · bass · stock · pop

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pop — music
  4. stock — goods
  5. root — of a word
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. root — of a plant
  8. stock — shares
  9. root — the cause
  10. mate — a friend
  11. prune — to trim
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bass — the fish
  15. mate — to breed
  16. pop — soda
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bass — low music
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. mate — a partner
  22. roll — a list
  23. date — the fruit
  24. roll — a cake

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