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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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468
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 · stock · stick · bulb · mug · pit · kid · racket

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pit — in a race
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kid — child
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. mug — to rob
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mug — a cup
  20. stock — shares
  21. pit — a hole
  22. mug — a face
  23. stock — goods
  24. kid — to tease

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