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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. craft — a skill
  3. stock — goods
  4. net — after costs
  5. craft — boats
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. stock — shares
  19. chip — for betting
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chip — to eat
  23. fan — a supporter
  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