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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: roll · stem · bulb · toast · stock · rest · arm · row

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stock — goods
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. roll — a list
  7. stock — shares
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. row — to paddle
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. roll — a cake
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. rest — a break
  22. row — a line
  23. stem — to come from
  24. rest — what's left

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