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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. can — to be able to
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. stock — shares
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. capital — money
  8. pit — in a race
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. can — a tin
  11. tear — to rip
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. tear — from crying
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. can — a tin
  16. stock — goods
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. capital — a city
  21. pit — a hole
  22. tear — from crying
  23. wave — with your hand
  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