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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stock — shares
  6. drill — the tool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. stock — goods
  10. cell — a phone
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. squash — the sport
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bulb — for light
  17. drill — a practice
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. squash — to crush
  21. drill — army training
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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