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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. stock — goods
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pass — a permit
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. saw — the tool
  12. cap — a hat
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pound — a weight
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. rush — hurry
  19. saw — the tool
  20. row — a line
  21. cap — a lid
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. cap — of ice
  24. pound — for dogs

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