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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: stock · bulb · mug · key · rush · mine · pop · coach

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. mug — a face
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. key — for a lock
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — shares
  11. pop — music
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pop — to visit
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. pop — soda
  16. key — in music
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mine — for digging
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. rush — hurry

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