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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 124 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — goods
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. fall — to drop
  9. court — for sport
  10. stock — shares
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. object — a thing
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. fall — the season
  17. object — to protest
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. sharp — clever
  20. object — an aim
  21. bulb — for light
  22. court — of law
  23. fall — to drop
  24. court — of a king

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