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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. field — farmland
  3. club — for dancing
  4. stock — shares
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pop — soda
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. field — a subject
  10. ground — crushed
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for golf
  13. pop — music
  14. cue — for pool
  15. ground — the earth
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cue — a hint
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. cue — a signal
  20. stock — goods
  21. ground — a position
  22. field — for sport
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pop — to visit

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