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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bulb — for light
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. stand — to bear
  7. roll — a cake
  8. tube — a container
  9. swing — to play on
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. swing — music
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stock — shares
  16. swing — in golf
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. roll — a list
  22. bulb — for light
  23. tube — the underground
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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