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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. game — wild animals
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — to bear
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bulb — for light
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. mug — a face
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mug — a cup
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. stock — shares
  16. mine — for digging
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stock — goods
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mug — to rob

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