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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: mug · stock · can · trunk · chip · bulb · jam · hand

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. stock — shares
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — goods
  6. can — a tin
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. chip — for betting
  11. can — to be able to
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. can — a tin
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. mug — a cup
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. mug — a face
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hand — help
  22. mug — to rob
  23. hand — in cards
  24. chip — to eat

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