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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bulb — for light
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. stock — shares
  7. saw — the tool
  8. staff — a stick
  9. saw — the tool
  10. staff — employees
  11. dip — to sink
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. tube — a container
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stock — goods
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. staff — employees
  23. bulb — for light
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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