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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. shower — rain
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. stock — goods
  6. court — for sport
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stock — shares
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. firm — a company
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. firm — steady
  15. bass — the fish
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. firm — decided
  18. bulb — for light
  19. shower — to wash
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. court — of a king
  22. bass — low music
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. sharp — clever

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