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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. pop — soda
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pop — music
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pop — to visit
  9. stock — goods
  10. chip — for betting
  11. stock — shares
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. lie — to recline
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cap — of ice
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — a hat
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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