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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. scale — size or range
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. file — a tool
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. file — a document
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stock — goods
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. pass — a permit
  15. firm — decided
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stock — shares
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — a company
  21. file — a line of people
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bulb — of a plant

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