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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. stock — goods
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. face — to confront
  8. drill — the tool
  9. pitch — completely
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. face — to point toward
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. drill — army training
  15. stock — shares
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. drill — a practice
  18. spring — a coil
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. spring — of water
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. spring — the season

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