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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  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. wound — an injury
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wound — an injury
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. game — a match
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. lie — to recline
  10. tube — the underground
  11. rock — a stone
  12. stock — shares
  13. game — wild animals
  14. tube — a container
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — music
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bulb — for light
  23. tube — in a tire
  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