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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. rush — hurry
  4. stock — goods
  5. shower — to wash
  6. stock — shares
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. shower — rain
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. march — the month
  13. bulb — for light
  14. march — the month
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. vault — a safe
  17. saw — the tool
  18. march — music
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bulb — for light
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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