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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 120 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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stock — goods
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. content — the amount
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. club — a group
  11. lean — to bend
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. mine — for digging
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. club — for golf
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. lean — thin
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stock — shares
  23. content — happy
  24. bulb — of a plant

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