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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bulb — for light
  4. spell — magic
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. club — for golf
  8. bound — certain
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. spell — a short time
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stock — goods
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bound — tied together
  17. spell — letters
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bound — obliged
  24. stock — shares

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