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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bank — of a river
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. bank — for money
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. content — the amount
  10. kid — child
  11. pitch — completely
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stock — goods
  15. kid — to tease
  16. bulb — for light
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bank — for money
  19. content — happy
  20. stock — shares
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — in cards

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