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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. ground — crushed
  4. race — humankind
  5. pitch — completely
  6. race — the arms race
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ground — a position
  9. bulb — for light
  10. can — a tin
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stock — goods
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. stock — shares
  22. race — a contest
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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