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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. court — of a king
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mate — a partner
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — shares
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. mate — a friend
  19. shower — rain
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. court — for sport
  23. mate — to breed
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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