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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bat · pit · mouse · stock · hide · leaves · bulb · race

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  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. hide — to keep secret
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. race — the arms race
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. stock — goods
  12. pit — a hole
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. race — humankind
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bat — the animal
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. stock — shares
  23. race — a contest
  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