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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. stock — goods
  4. bulb — for light
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ball — a great time
  12. dip — to sink
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. suit — in cards
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. wind — moving air
  17. suit — to fit
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. stem — to come from
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. stock — shares
  22. wind — moving air
  23. cue — for pool
  24. ball — a dance

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