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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: key · bulb · mouse · object · club · lean · stock · fall

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. object — a thing
  6. bulb — for light
  7. key — in music
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bulb — for light
  10. object — an aim
  11. club — for dancing
  12. stock — shares
  13. lean — thin
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fall — the season
  16. key — the most important part
  17. club — a group
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. club — for golf
  20. fall — to drop
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. object — to protest

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