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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. kid — child
  4. rule — a law
  5. stock — goods
  6. rule — government
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. bass — low music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. present — the time now
  12. squash — to crush
  13. present — there
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. kid — to tease
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — the fish
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. present — a gift

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