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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stock — shares
  3. firm — steady
  4. band — a ring
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. firm — decided
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. mate — a partner
  19. band — a music group
  20. firm — a company
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mate — a friend
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. mate — to breed

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