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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stock — goods
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. cold — not warm
  6. current — happening now
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. current — electric
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. stock — shares
  13. current — of water
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pit — in a race
  17. cold — an illness
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pass — a permit
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — to get on
  22. pit — a hole
  23. board — a committee
  24. calf — a young animal

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