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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 116 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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pop — to visit
  3. deal — to handle
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pop — music
  7. track — a path
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. rash — a series
  14. bass — the fish
  15. track — a song
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. stock — shares
  18. pop — soda
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. stock — goods
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bass — low music

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