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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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468
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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stock — shares
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. stock — goods
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. kid — child
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. kid — to tease
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. snap — to click
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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