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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: ball · pound · safe · stem · tube · can · shower · stock

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. tube — a container
  3. pound — a weight
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. ball — a dance
  8. can — a tin
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. can — to be able to
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. shower — to wash
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. shower — rain
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. can — a tin
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stock — shares
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. tube — the underground

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