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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: bank · pop · sharp · fan · bulb · cue · ruler · stock

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pop — soda
  5. stock — goods
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bank — for money
  8. cue — a signal
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bank — for money
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. stock — shares
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pop — to visit
  16. cue — for pool
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bank — of a river

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