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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. stock — shares
  3. swing — to play on
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. cap — a lid
  11. stock — goods
  12. cap — of ice
  13. squash — to crush
  14. track — a song
  15. swing — music
  16. cap — a hat
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bulb — for light
  20. swing — in golf
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. squash — the sport
  24. track — a path

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