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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. sharp — clever
  7. mark — a grade
  8. pitch — completely
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. object — an aim
  11. stock — goods
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pound — a weight
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. object — to protest
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stock — shares
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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