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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bulb — for light
  3. sharp — clever
  4. craft — a skill
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. stock — shares
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stock — goods
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. craft — boats
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. pitch — completely
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bulb — for light
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bulb — of a plant

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