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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. object — to protest
  3. stock — shares
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. row — to paddle
  9. net — after costs
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. net — in sport
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. net — for catching
  16. stock — goods
  17. row — a line
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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