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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: bass · fall · bulb · stock · club · fan · mark · patient

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mark — a grade
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. stock — shares
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bass — the fish
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bass — low music
  19. fall — to drop
  20. club — for dancing
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. club — a group
  24. stock — goods

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