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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stock — shares
  6. chip — to eat
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. mate — a partner
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. scale — in music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. chip — for betting
  15. scale — size or range
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. stock — goods
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mate — a friend
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. firm — decided
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — a tool

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