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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: cue · racket · leaves · bulb · stock · club · jam · trunk

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cue — a hint
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. club — a group
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. stock — shares
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. cue — a signal
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. club — for dancing
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bulb — for light
  24. club — for golf

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