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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: pop · bank · shower · stock · lash · bay · cue · bulb

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stock — goods
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. shower — rain
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bank — of a river
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pop — soda
  12. stock — shares
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. cue — a signal
  15. pop — music
  16. cue — for pool
  17. shower — to wash
  18. bank — for money
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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