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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: fan · bulb · stock · fine · bay · shower · net · dip

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. fine — all right
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. dip — to sink
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stock — shares
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. bulb — for light
  16. shower — to wash
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fine — high quality
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. net — for catching
  23. stock — goods
  24. fan — a supporter

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