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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. stock — shares
  3. root — of a plant
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — from crying
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bulb — for light
  8. current — of water
  9. stock — goods
  10. root — the cause
  11. tear — to rip
  12. bulb — for light
  13. root — of a word
  14. current — electric
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. fine — all right
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. current — happening now
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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