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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. bulb — for light
  3. face — to point toward
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. march — music
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. current — electric
  10. stock — goods
  11. face — part of the head
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. current — of water
  14. march — the month
  15. stock — shares
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. march — the month
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. current — happening now

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