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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. can — a tin
  3. cap — of ice
  4. mate — a friend
  5. stock — shares
  6. mate — a partner
  7. plane — a tool
  8. can — to be able to
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. cap — a lid
  12. stock — goods
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bulb — for light
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. can — a tin
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bulb — for light
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. plane — an aircraft

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