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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. last — finally
  7. suit — in cards
  8. stock — shares
  9. content — the amount
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. last — to go on
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. race — humankind
  15. race — a contest
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rush — hurry
  18. content — happy
  19. race — the arms race
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. stock — goods
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. last — final
  24. sharp — clever

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