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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. face — part of the head
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bulb — for light
  7. tear — to rip
  8. face — to point toward
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. pop — music
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — to visit
  19. stock — goods
  20. prune — to trim
  21. tear — from crying
  22. face — to confront
  23. bulb — for light
  24. nail — for a hammer

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