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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — shares
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rest — a break
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. firm — decided
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. firm — steady
  22. rest — what's left
  23. ball — a dance
  24. wind — moving air

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