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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 120 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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cap — a hat
  3. bulb — for light
  4. track — to keep track
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. march — music
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. march — the month
  9. stock — shares
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. march — the month
  12. track — a song
  13. stock — goods
  14. present — the time now
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. present — a gift
  17. cap — of ice
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. track — a path
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. present — there
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cap — a lid

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