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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bulb — for light
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cap — of ice
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bear — the animal
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stock — shares
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bulb — for light
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. chair — a leader
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

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