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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. board — to get on
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stock — shares
  7. can — to be able to
  8. stock — goods
  9. can — a tin
  10. bulb — for light
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. board — a committee
  13. pitch — completely
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — the underground
  17. dip — to sink
  18. can — a tin
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cabinet — ministers

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