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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. object — a thing
  3. fall — the season
  4. bulb — for light
  5. object — to protest
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. plane — a tool
  10. staff — employees
  11. stem — to come from
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. fall — to drop
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. staff — employees
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. staff — a stick
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. object — an aim
  22. stock — shares
  23. fall — to drop
  24. plane — in geometry

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