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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. season — in sport
  3. craft — a skill
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. firm — steady
  7. bulb — for light
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. firm — decided
  10. sharp — clever
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. stock — shares
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stock — goods
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. firm — a company
  22. craft — boats
  23. season — of the year
  24. sharp — with an edge

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