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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. pass — a permit
  4. stock — shares
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. object — an aim
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. deal — to handle
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. object — to protest
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. object — a thing
  13. bulb — for light
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bulb — for light
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stock — goods
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. scale — in music
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. scale — size or range

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