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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. pop — to visit
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pop — music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. scale — in music
  11. pop — soda
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. stock — shares
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bulb — for light
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. scale — for weighing

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