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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rush — hurry
  5. date — the fruit
  6. lean — thin
  7. ball — a dance
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bass — the fish
  16. stock — goods
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bass — low music
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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