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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. stock — shares
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. chip — to eat
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bass — the fish
  13. snap — to click
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bass — low music
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mine — for digging
  19. foot — a measure
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. chip — for betting
  23. stock — goods
  24. mine — an explosive

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