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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 120 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. stock — goods
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wound — an injury
  9. drill — the tool
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. drill — army training
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stock — shares
  17. wound — an injury
  18. scale — in music
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bulb — for light
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — a leader

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