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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.

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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. 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. present — there
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. board — a committee
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — goods
  8. present — the time now
  9. bulb — for light
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. present — a gift
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. season — of the year
  14. toast — bread
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stock — shares
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. board — to get on
  22. season — in sport
  23. branch — a division
  24. 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