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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. craft — boats
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. season — in sport
  10. stock — shares
  11. race — a contest
  12. race — the arms race
  13. pop — soda
  14. pop — to visit
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. craft — a skill
  17. race — humankind
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. pop — music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — goods
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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