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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. ground — crushed
  4. stock — goods
  5. staff — employees
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pop — music
  8. chip — to eat
  9. staff — a stick
  10. ground — a position
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pop — soda
  14. staff — employees
  15. pop — to visit
  16. chip — for betting
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bulb — for light
  19. suit — clothes
  20. stock — shares
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. ground — the earth
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — completely

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