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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. cue — a signal
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. cap — a lid
  7. hand — help
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. scale — size or range
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bulb — for light
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — a safe
  16. stock — goods
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bulb — for light
  19. scale — in music
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bulb — of a plant

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