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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bulb — for light
  3. can — to be able to
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pit — a hole
  6. charge — a price
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — a container
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. pit — in a race
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. can — a tin
  15. bulb — for light
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. charge — in control
  18. stock — shares
  19. can — a tin
  20. vault — a safe
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bulb — of a plant

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