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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stock — goods
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. suit — in cards
  21. stock — shares
  22. mark — a grade
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. coach — a trainer

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