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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. stock — shares
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. stock — goods
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bulb — for light
  10. hand — help
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. pop — soda
  15. rest — a break
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. face — to confront
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. face — to point toward
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. pop — music
  22. pop — to visit
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rest — what's left

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