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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. march — music
  3. march — the month
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. firm — a company
  7. spring — a coil
  8. charge — in control
  9. stock — shares
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bat — the animal
  12. charge — electricity
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — of water
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. march — the month
  18. firm — steady
  19. charge — a price
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. rush — hurry
  22. firm — decided
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stock — goods

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