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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — shares
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bulb — for light
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. chest — a box
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. chest — of your body
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. hand — in cards
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. chest — of your body
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. hand — help
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bulb — for light
  24. safe — a strongbox

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