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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: firm · prune · safe · stock · bat · bore · bear · dip

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. prune — to trim
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. stock — shares
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stock — goods
  10. firm — a company
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bear — the animal
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. firm — steady
  15. dip — to sink
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bore — to tire
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bear — the animal
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. stock — a soup base

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