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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 120 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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stock — shares
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mug — a face
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. mug — a cup
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. lean — thin
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. stock — goods
  19. snap — to click
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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