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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bulb — for light
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. suit — in cards
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bulb — for light
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. stock — goods
  12. pound — a weight
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — happy
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. lean — to bend
  21. content — the amount
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. stock — shares

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