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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. deal — to handle
  3. file — a line of people
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ground — a position
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. stock — goods
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. file — a document
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fork — in a road
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ground — the earth
  22. content — the amount
  23. stock — shares
  24. content — happy

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