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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. stock — shares
  4. club — for golf
  5. bulb — for light
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bulb — for light
  11. capital — money
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. capital — a city
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stock — goods
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pass — a permit
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. club — a group
  23. key — in music
  24. suit — to fit

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