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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: board · stock · bulb · craft · pass · scale · tube · snap

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. pass — a permit
  7. craft — boats
  8. stock — goods
  9. bulb — for light
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. stock — shares
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. snap — to click
  17. craft — a skill
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — the underground
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. scale — in music
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. scale — size or range

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