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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: stock · pit · bank · bulb · kick · mark · craft · arm

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mark — a trace
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. craft — boats
  7. pit — a hole
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mark — a grade
  10. stock — goods
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pit — in a race
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. kick — in football
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bank — of a river
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. stock — shares

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