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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. can — a tin
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. root — of a plant
  9. stock — goods
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. snap — to click
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. root — of a word
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. root — the cause

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