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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. stock — goods
  3. key — in music
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. clip — a video
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. mark — a trace
  8. swing — music
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. stock — shares
  12. swing — to play on
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. key — the most important part
  19. clip — to cut
  20. key — for a lock
  21. dip — to sink
  22. clip — for paper
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bulb — for light

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