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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 124 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. mark — a trace
  3. prune — to trim
  4. fork — in a road
  5. mark — a grade
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. lean — to bend
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. stock — goods
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stock — shares
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. lean — to rest against

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