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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. board — a committee
  7. band — a music group
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. stock — shares
  11. ground — the earth
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pit — in a race
  15. board — to get on
  16. pit — a hole
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. band — a ring
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. ground — crushed
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. ground — a position
  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