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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. stock — goods
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bore — to drill
  9. stock — shares
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bore — to tire
  19. rush — hurry
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rush — to hurry

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