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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stock — shares
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. rush — hurry
  9. scale — size or range
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. roll — a cake
  13. stock — goods
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. scale — in music
  16. bulb — for light
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bulb — for light
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. saw — the tool
  24. roll — a list

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