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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.

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: stock · mouse · toast · pop · rush · ball · present · object

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — the time now
  5. stock — goods
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. pop — music
  9. present — there
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. toast — bread
  13. object — an aim
  14. stock — shares
  15. object — to protest
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. ball — a great time
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. pop — soda
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. object — a thing

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