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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. kid — to tease
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. suit — clothes
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. suit — in cards
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. stock — shares
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bulb — for light
  12. dip — to sink
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. kid — child
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. band — a ring
  20. stock — goods
  21. bulb — for light
  22. band — a music group
  23. suit — to fit
  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