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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. branch — a division
  3. bass — low music
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mark — a grade
  6. stock — shares
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bulb — for light
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. mark — a trace
  16. rule — a law
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. rule — government
  23. bass — the fish
  24. rule — to rule out

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