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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — a stone
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. kick — in football
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bulb — for light
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. stock — goods
  13. bark — to shout
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rush — hurry
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. rock — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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