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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bulb — for light
  11. land — ground
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. land — a country
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. stock — shares
  17. staff — employees
  18. branch — a division
  19. staff — employees
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. staff — a stick
  22. stock — goods
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. land — to come down

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