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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. degree — temperature
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. stock — shares
  8. degree — from a university
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bulb — for light
  12. row — to paddle
  13. branch — a division
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chip — for betting
  21. row — a line
  22. degree — an amount
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. stock — goods

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