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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bulb — for light
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — shares
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bore — to tire
  8. stock — goods
  9. ball — a dance
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. ball — a great time
  12. toast — bread
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bore — to drill
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. degree — temperature
  17. pitch — completely
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. degree — an amount
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. degree — from a university
  24. bulb — for light

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