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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. board — to get on
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. file — a document
  6. bass — the fish
  7. file — a tool
  8. cell — in biology
  9. can — a tin
  10. board — a committee
  11. stock — shares
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bass — low music
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. file — a line of people
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. can — to be able to
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. can — a tin
  23. cell — a phone
  24. mouse — the animal

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