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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. stock — shares
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. file — a document
  6. bulb — for light
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. stock — goods
  10. file — a line of people
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. file — a tool
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. date — the fruit
  24. rush — to hurry

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