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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. board — a committee
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. board — to get on
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ground — a position
  11. stock — shares
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — help
  14. ground — crushed
  15. stock — goods
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light

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