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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. track — to keep track
  3. season — of the year
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bass — low music
  8. charge — electricity
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. bulb — for light
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — a price
  14. season — in sport
  15. current — happening now
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stock — shares
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. current — of water
  23. stock — goods
  24. current — electric

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