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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. lean — thin
  5. stock — shares
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. suit — clothes
  8. chip — to eat
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. stock — goods
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. chip — for betting
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — to bend
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. suit — in cards
  18. scale — in music
  19. ball — a great time
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. ball — a dance
  23. suit — to fit
  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