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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · object · stock · race · land · bank · rock · bore

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. object — an aim
  3. race — the arms race
  4. object — to protest
  5. rock — a stone
  6. land — ground
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rock — music
  9. bank — for money
  10. land — to come down
  11. bank — for money
  12. land — a country
  13. race — humankind
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bore — to tire
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. stock — goods
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bore — to drill
  23. object — a thing
  24. bulb — for light

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