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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wound · stock · date · snap · arm · staff · file · bulb

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a tool
  3. staff — employees
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bulb — for light
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. snap — to click
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. stock — goods
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. date — the fruit
  13. file — a line of people
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. staff — employees
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wound — an injury
  21. staff — a stick
  22. stock — shares
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. date — on the calendar

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