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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: bulb · suit · face · rock · race · stock · craft · rule

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rule — a law
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — humankind
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. race — a contest
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bulb — for light
  15. face — to point toward
  16. craft — boats
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. stock — goods
  19. craft — a skill
  20. face — part of the head
  21. suit — in cards
  22. face — to confront
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — to rule out

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