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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: tube · vault · bulb · stock · mark · current · deal · wind

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. current — of water
  3. wind — moving air
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. tube — the underground
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. tube — a container
  11. current — happening now
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bulb — for light
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. mark — a trace
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. mark — a grade
  20. wind — moving air
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. stock — shares
  23. current — electric
  24. bulb — for light

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