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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  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. rest — a break
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bound — obliged
  4. row — to paddle
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stock — shares
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pass — a permit
  16. row — a line
  17. rest — what's left
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bound — tied together
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bound — certain
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. snap — to click
  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