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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stock — goods
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stock — shares
  10. bear — the animal
  11. file — a line of people
  12. chip — to eat
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rash — hasty
  15. file — a tool
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. rash — a series
  18. chip — for betting
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mine — for digging
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. file — a document
  24. bear — to put up with

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