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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. field — farmland
  5. stock — shares
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bulb — for light
  8. field — for sport
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stock — goods
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. field — a subject
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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