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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 124 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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — a tool
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. kid — to tease
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bulb — for light
  8. track — a song
  9. bank — for money
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — shares
  13. bank — for money
  14. track — to keep track
  15. kid — child
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. track — a path
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. fan — a supporter

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