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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. rock — a stone
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. wax — to grow
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. cell — a phone
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stock — goods
  14. rock — music
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. saw — the tool
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. cell — in biology

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