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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 116 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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — the time now
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. hand — help
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. rush — hurry
  10. firm — a company
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stock — shares
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. firm — decided
  17. present — there
  18. stock — goods
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. firm — steady
  22. fork — in a road
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. fork — a garden tool

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