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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 120 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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. swing — in golf
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. swing — to play on
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. swing — music
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stock — goods
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pitch — completely
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. temple — a place of worship

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