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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: leaves · hide · jam · stock · toast · degree · bulb · craft

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. degree — an amount
  4. degree — temperature
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — shares
  8. toast — bread
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. stock — goods
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bulb — for light
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bulb — for light
  16. degree — from a university
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. craft — boats

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