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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · root · ruler · bulb · firm · swing · perch · stock

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. firm — decided
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — shares
  11. firm — steady
  12. swing — music
  13. root — the cause
  14. perch — the fish
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. swing — to play on
  21. root — of a plant
  22. root — of a word
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. swing — in golf

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