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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. stock — goods
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bear — the animal
  7. swing — to play on
  8. fine — high quality
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. dip — to sink
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bulb — for light
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. stock — shares
  20. swing — in golf
  21. fine — all right
  22. swing — music
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lash — an eyelash

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