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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 116 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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. track — a song
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bound — certain
  9. craft — a skill
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bulb — for light
  12. track — a path
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bulb — for light
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. game — a match
  23. bound — tied together
  24. game — a kind of play

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