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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. field — for sport
  3. stock — shares
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rock — a stone
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. field — farmland
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rock — music
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bulb — for light
  19. club — a group
  20. stock — goods
  21. kick — in football
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. field — a subject
  24. safe — a strongbox

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