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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. press — newspapers
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. ground — the earth
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. date — the fruit
  13. ground — crushed
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. ground — a position
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — a law
  18. press — a publisher
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. stand — to bear
  22. press — to push
  23. stock — shares
  24. saw — the tool

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