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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 120 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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. suit — clothes
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. pound — a weight
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chest — of your body
  14. fine — high quality
  15. mug — a face
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fine — all right
  19. stock — shares
  20. suit — to fit
  21. chest — a box
  22. chest — of your body
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — for dogs

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