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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: fan · bay · bulb · stock · swing · mark · kid · object

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. swing — to play on
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. object — an aim
  10. mark — a grade
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — to protest
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. swing — music
  16. kid — to tease
  17. swing — in golf
  18. kid — child
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — shares
  24. fan — to cool the air

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