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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. can — a tin
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. can — to be able to
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. last — final
  10. can — a tin
  11. last — finally
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. board — to get on
  14. field — a subject
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. field — for sport
  17. last — to go on
  18. board — a committee
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — shares
  22. bulb — for light
  23. field — farmland
  24. bulb — of a plant

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