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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. stock — shares
  3. mug — a face
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. track — to keep track
  7. mug — a cup
  8. face — to confront
  9. bulb — for light
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. face — part of the head
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. track — a song
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bulb — for light
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. face — to point toward
  21. track — a path
  22. stock — goods
  23. craft — boats
  24. pitcher — a jug

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