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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bank — of a river
  8. object — to protest
  9. stock — shares
  10. season — in sport
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. object — a thing
  14. stock — goods
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bank — for money
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bank — for money
  21. bulb — for light
  22. season — of the year
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. object — an aim

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