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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. drill — the tool
  3. band — a ring
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bulb — for light
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bear — the animal
  10. file — a document
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. file — a line of people
  13. bulb — for light
  14. file — a tool
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. drill — army training
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. stock — shares
  20. drill — a practice
  21. squash — the sport
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. band — a music group

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