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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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stock — shares
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cell — a phone
  8. bound — certain
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. charge — a price
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — in control
  21. cell — in biology
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bound — obliged
  24. stock — goods

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