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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. kick — in football
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stock — shares
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bound — certain
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. stock — goods
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — obliged
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bear — the animal
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. bear — the animal
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. mark — a grade

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