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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 124 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stock — goods
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bulb — for light
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for dancing
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bulb — for light
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. stock — shares
  14. chair — a leader
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. row — to paddle
  19. pass — a permit
  20. club — for golf
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. row — a line

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