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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. bulb — for light
  3. object — a thing
  4. stock — goods
  5. cue — a signal
  6. stock — shares
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. fork — in a road
  11. drill — army training
  12. cue — for pool
  13. mate — a partner
  14. drill — a practice
  15. mate — a friend
  16. object — an aim
  17. ground — crushed
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. object — to protest
  21. ground — a position
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. mate — to breed
  24. fork — to eat with

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