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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 120 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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. season — of the year
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bat — the animal
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. mark — a grade
  9. stock — goods
  10. firm — steady
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. firm — a company
  15. stock — shares
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. foot — a measure
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. firm — decided
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bulb — for light
  24. season — in sport

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