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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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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: saw · stock · present · charge · suit · bulb · field · mark

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. field — a subject
  6. saw — the tool
  7. suit — to fit
  8. charge — in control
  9. bulb — for light
  10. charge — a price
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a grade
  13. stock — goods
  14. mark — a trace
  15. field — for sport
  16. present — a gift
  17. bulb — for light
  18. suit — in cards
  19. present — the time now
  20. saw — the tool
  21. present — there
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. suit — clothes
  24. charge — electricity

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