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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 116 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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — size or range
  4. snap — to click
  5. bulb — for light
  6. land — ground
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rest — what's left
  9. scale — in music
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a friend
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. rest — what's left
  20. land — a country
  21. stock — shares
  22. land — to come down
  23. rest — a break
  24. rash — hasty

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