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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. bank — for money
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stock — goods
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stock — shares
  10. rush — hurry
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. plane — a tool
  14. net — after costs
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bank — for money
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. net — for catching
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. net — in sport
  24. bank — of a river

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