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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. present — the time now
  5. stock — goods
  6. bulb — for light
  7. current — of water
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stock — shares
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. can — a tin
  13. present — a gift
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. present — there
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. can — to be able to
  19. current — electric
  20. can — a tin
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pitch — completely
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. current — happening now

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