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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. field — farmland
  3. stock — shares
  4. pound — a weight
  5. press — a publisher
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. press — newspapers
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. press — to push
  21. field — for sport
  22. field — a subject
  23. stock — goods
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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