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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. spring — a coil
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. mug — a face
  9. stock — shares
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. kid — child
  12. spring — of water
  13. mug — to rob
  14. craft — a skill
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. craft — boats
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mug — a cup
  23. stock — goods
  24. kid — to tease

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