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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. ground — a position
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bulb — for light
  7. suit — in cards
  8. rock — a stone
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. stock — shares
  12. bank — of a river
  13. chest — a box
  14. ground — the earth
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bank — for money
  17. chest — of your body
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. ground — crushed
  21. band — a ring
  22. rock — music
  23. bank — for money
  24. band — a music group

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