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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stock — shares
  3. spring — the season
  4. pop — music
  5. last — finally
  6. bulb — for light
  7. spring — a coil
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mug — to rob
  11. stock — goods
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pop — soda
  14. rest — a break
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — a face
  18. bulb — for light
  19. spring — of water
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. rest — what's left
  22. last — to go on
  23. pop — to visit
  24. last — final

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